PoP Book 06.2s MidRes - Flipbook - Page 21
Interestingly, it’s the people who think of themselves as ‘creative’ who
seem to have the least trouble finding a comfortable space where play
fits in. They generally understand its movement and its possibility better
than most. But, while they use both play and games to power their creating,
they can often struggle to hold on to the original generative energy of
freeplay. So, later in this book, we’ll meet some very influential creatives
and see exactly how they use play and games every day in their work.
For now, though, let’s go back to the language we’re using.
•
The playing mind can’t help creating metaphors and descriptors, and
spreading them about all over the place — playing by the rules, playing
tricks, playing around, playing for time, playing a part, making a play,
playing with ideas. One count shows over seventeen-hundred play
metaphors in the realm of sport alone.18 While these twists of language
might seem to be keeping us from tying down what we’re trying to see,
they’re really signposts we’ll follow to examine the ultimate player.
This talent for blending and extending conceptual spaces is only one
of several major mind tools which people have always avoided linking
directly to play, or describing as part of play. They tend to call them the
products of thinking and imagination but, as you’ll see, they only come
about because our brains are built to play. In this new frame, play isn’t
something we do using imagination, play and imagination are really
totally inseparable. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that by the time we’re
done looking into the ways play is hard-wired into our thinking, and
deep-baked into our physiology, you’ll see the energy of play is the only
thing we really can claim as a super-power.
•
1.12
Now that matters aren’t much clearer at all, it’s time to ask the kind of
question books like this always have to pose: If we seem to get along
ok without really appreciating the scope of the subject, why bother to
examine this strange business at all? And why now?
Well, there are two main reasons.
Firstly, imagination and creativity are impossible without play, so it’ll be
increasingly valuable as a driver of invention and originality for the future.
Since everyone agrees human creativity will only rise in value from here
on, it’s essential to share a broader and clearer understanding of its formative energy. Education can then embrace it more deeply, and we can
produce the future creative generations. A better feel for play, when all is
What is Play? / Elephant
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