Play anything the pleasure of limits, the uses of boredom, and the secret of games

"Life is boring: filled with meetings and traffic, errands and emails. Nothing we'd ever call fun. But what if we've gotten fun wrong? In Play Anything, visionary game designer and philosopher Ian Bogost shows how we can overcome our daily anxiety; transforming the boring, ordinary world around us i...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Bogost, Ian (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language:English
Published: New York : Basic Books, [2016]
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

MARC

LEADER 00000cam a2200000 i 4500
001 ocn945232230
003 OCoLC
005 20161004101100.0
008 160613s2016 nyu 001 0 eng
010 |a  2016019144 
020 |a 9780465051724 (hardback) 
020 |a 0465051723 (hardback) 
020 |z 9780465096503 (e-book) 
020 |z 0465096506 
035 |a (OCoLC)945232230 
040 |a DLC  |b eng  |e rda  |c DLC  |d YDXCP  |d BTCTA  |d BDX  |d OCLCF  |d S#L  |d IHX  |d FM0  |d ZLM  |d ABG  |d PCB 
042 |a pcc 
050 0 0 |a BF408  |b .B566 2016 
082 0 0 |a 306.4/8  |2 23 
084 |a SOC022000  |a PHI005000  |a PSY034000  |2 bisacsh 
100 1 |a Bogost, Ian,  |e author. 
245 1 0 |a Play anything :  |b the pleasure of limits, the uses of boredom, and the secret of games /  |c Ian Bogost. 
264 1 |a New York :  |b Basic Books,  |c [2016] 
300 |a xiii, 266 pages ;  |c 25 cm 
336 |a text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a unmediated  |b n  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a volume  |b nc  |2 rdacarrier 
500 |a Includes index. 
520 |a "Life is boring: filled with meetings and traffic, errands and emails. Nothing we'd ever call fun. But what if we've gotten fun wrong? In Play Anything, visionary game designer and philosopher Ian Bogost shows how we can overcome our daily anxiety; transforming the boring, ordinary world around us into one of endless, playful possibilities. The key to this playful mindset lies in discovering the secret truth of fun and games. Play Anything, reveals that games appeal to us not because they are fun, but because they set limitations. Soccer wouldn't be soccer if it wasn't composed of two teams of eleven players using only their feet, heads, and torsos to get a ball into a goal; Tetris wouldn't be Tetris without falling pieces in characteristic shapes. Such rules seem needless, arbitrary, and difficult. Yet it is the limitations that make games enjoyable, just like it's the hard things in life that give it meaning. Play is what happens when we accept these limitations, narrow our focus, and, consequently, have fun. Which is also how to live a good life. Manipulating a soccer ball into a goal is no different than treating ordinary circumstances- like grocery shopping, lawn mowing, and making PowerPoints-as sources for meaning and joy. We can "play anything" by filling our days with attention and discipline, devotion and love for the world as it really is, beyond our desires and fears. Ranging from Internet culture to moral philosophy, ancient poetry to modern consumerism, Bogost shows us how today's chaotic world can only be tamed-and enjoyed-when we first impose boundaries on ourselves"--Provided by publisher. 
504 |a Includes bibliographical references (pages 239-250) index. 
505 0 |a Life is not a game -- Everywhere, playgrounds -- Ironoia, the mistrust of things -- Fun isn't pleasure, it's novelty -- Play is in things, not in you -- From restraint to constraint -- The pleasure of limits -- The opposite of happiness -- Living with things. 
650 0 |a Creative ability. 
650 0 |a Popular culture  |x Social aspects. 
690 0 |a Hays, Sara Light tribute. 
938 |a Brodart  |b BROD  |n 115272984 
938 |a Baker and Taylor  |b BTCP  |n BK0018589339 
938 |a YBP Library Services  |b YANK  |n 12895637 
994 |a C0  |b PCB 
949 |a schlow  |b SANON  |c 306.48 BOG  |d i  |e 39635103623546  |f 606643  |g ddc  |j 09/21/2016 
999 |a 393789