.png)
I am very playful when I play with you. And in my daily life. I am also very serious about the way I play with you, and about my own life. And want to let you see a bit more about it.
I am currently re-reading a book I got during my first University years, called Homo Ludens, which would come to mean something like "People who play". It talks about how important it is for people to play!
The book was written by Johan Huizinga, a Dutch historian and cultural theorist with a
multidisciplinary approach (art, philosophy, linguistics...). Born in 1872, Huizinga explains that playing isn't just for kids -it's something that helps all people connect with others, have fun and be creative, and that playing is as important as any other thing in life, like thinking or making things. For example, when adults are playing games or playing pretend, they are doing something that can help them feel happier and more connected to their feelings. Something that ABDL lovers know very well! Playing is also a source of fun, and a way to explore your feelings and find comfort.
Huizinga believed that play is a big part of what makes us human, and that our ability to play is essential to our human nature. Right, his ideas at that time were not perfect, as he did not believe that play was necessarily connected to our biology or bodies, and he believed it was more about our culture. Scientists today (Tanghe & Fosl, 2016). think that play is, in reality, a part of how all living beings learn and grow, but the work of Huizinga is still beautiful and relevant.
Huizinga was also a bit pessimistic and said that societies lose their ability to play as people get older. Many of us disagree with this :), but I can understand the lack of play in many people as they mature and the joy of playing throughout one's entire life. I like that he mentions that people don't play because they think it's good for them but because it's engaging and fun, and a lot of what he says about play, social culture and actions is still relevant for those who are into game design (Rodriguez H, 2006).
So, I recommend this to my studious babies; in case you don't know this already, I like to read about how important play is and how it lets us explore who we are, connect with others, and feel joy. It is not like I need to read about it to know how important it is or feel validated, but I enjoy knowing that this is shared and the many nuances and points of view around it; it's a pleasure for me and in a way reaffirms me in the fact that getting more adults to play in whatever way they need, is something needed and good for all of us.
And you too, adult who reads this, and me too. Playing helps us have better and fuller lives.
Book and articles
Tanghe, K. B., & Fosl, P. S. (2016). Homo Ludens (1938) and the crisis in the humanities. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 3(1).
Rodriguez H (2006). The Playful and the Serious: An approximation to Huzinga's Homo Ludens, The International Journal of Computer Game Research, volume 6, issue 1
Huizinga Johan, Homo Ludens, (1949), Routledge, 1st edition (2014), Kindle Edition