Play time… you know, for fun

[horati0nosebl0wer 19645xp 4]

Forgive the ‘Johnny Dangerously’ reference of the title but it was very much in line with fun. Its not too terribly often these days that I’m struck with the time or opportunity to wax idiotic philosophical but I’ve just run by a local book store to take a peek at what strikes my fancy. I’ve picked up a copy of Surrealism At Play by Susan Laxton and got no more than a sentence in before being taken by a thought “In philosophy, play is any pursuit undertaken for its own sake”.

I believe that this is the where and why we all do what we do in enjoying this community. We play. There is no other way of describing it. Even as full grown ‘adults’ we engage in unfettered enjoyment of things relegated to the dustbin of immature endeavors left behind by people who “grew up”. People engage with conflict here in controlled measure against the three main antagonists of literature (conflict within one’s self, with the environment or with society), but we do so not as grand struggles of 40K proportions (maybe the appeal of the IP?) but as individuals who realize their individuality (perhaps the CoC investigator perspective). As mental exercise to explore the ‘what-if’s’ we jump headlong into the world sung of in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. A world of amazing things both bright and dreary, for those who saw the unedited original boat ride scene, can be found and its all play.

There is no putting one’s self on the line with risk to life or limb (finances are another story with the purchase of minis/modules/more) for engaging in our games. Play is our zen. We are the keepers of hope and inquiry within humanity despite the prospect of becoming cynics. George Carlin was great to quip “Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist”. Let us play and be thankful that we are aware of Nuffle and other dice gods that we might try and get better rolls. For the luck of the draw… eh… better to try and cheat Fate with Malifaux.

Play on players!

[moonunitParticipant 4505xp 3]

Exactly this. I picked up my son’s toy plane the other day and couldn’t resist giving it a quick fly past my eyeline, one eye squinted, before feeling embarrassed. Stick a ruleset on top, and I am allowed to play with toy planes again, something my inner child obviously wants, but isn’t allowed to do. My wife once said of my hobby, “you are just replicating childhood behavior in the hope of a better outcome.” I’m not sure what she meant particularly, but I just smiled and nodded “yes.”

[sundancer 42974xp 3]

There was a quote on a video game podcast that I think nails it really down:

“Remember, you don’t stop playing because you grew old; You grew old because you stopped playing” 😉

[limburger 21704xp 3]

never be ashamed of your inner child

no sane person can ever be an adult 24/7

[moonunitParticipant 4505xp 3]

I have the heart of a child. I keep it in a jar on my desk.

[blinky465 17028xp 0]

@moonunit – wow. This thread got dark really quickly 😉

[sundancer 42974xp 0]

I’m pretty sure that was a quote I heard somewhere before XD

[moonunitParticipant 4505xp 2]

Stephen King famously said it, but he got it from Robert Bloch.

[darkvoivod 7112xp 3]

“When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up”
C.S. Lewis.

Words to live by. My kids toys will often still get played with by me. I shoot their Nerf guns, I transform their transformers.
I don’t see the need to be embarressed by these things. My wife finds them endearing and it allows me to connect more easily to my kids.
I’ve found as long as I own it when I talk about my “nerdy” hobbies, most people tend to react quite positive. I talk about the social and creative aspects. Often people will admire the passion and skill I display
But I do urpress the urge many of us have to ramble on, like we do when we are together in our enthousiasm.
I’ve also heard it said: “Creativity is the child that survived”. I like that. We don’t outgrow the child, we build upon that part of us.

I’ll now surpress the urge to ramble on filosophically, which is also a tendency I have…:D

[horati0nosebl0wer 19645xp 2]

@sundancer I heartily agree… which is why you will play a Christmas batrep for the protection of the North Pole this year as @oriskany has passed on the mantle.

*chants* For he’s a jolly good fellow! For he’s a jolly good fellow! For he’s a jolly good feahelloooooow, which nobody can deny.

Congratulations *shaking hands and backpatting* Gerry looks forward to seeing it come time for Giftmas wrapup

@moonunit I believe that is exactly the kind of humor needed from time to time. It reminds me of the browser game “Orphan Feast” where you prowled the dark streets of a Victorian city in search of delectable ragamuffins.

@darkvoivod Owning the ability to play is the acknowledgment of our surviving children. Being aware of the excess of enthusiasm is also a godsend for you and others. Geeking out among normies can make things awkward for those that don’t recognize the mini mania.

 

[oriskany 60771xp 0]

“which is why you will play a Christmas batrep for the protection of the North Pole this year as @oriskany has passed on the mantle.”

What can I say, @horati0nosebl0wer?  I ran that game for six years … and on year seven the community let me down.  🙁

We’ll see if anyone picks it up this year.  Every hopeful, I guess.  😀

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