[Xmca-l] Re: Playing with/at TED

[Helena Worthen]

Carol et al:

Thanks for insisting that we watch this. 

This contribution to the xmca conversation follows well from the recent discussion of the article Mike posted about what is NOT theory. This is a brief, clear presentation intended to get people thinking and give them some contrasting, vivid examples to feed that thinking. She does not get into the theory behind her argument -- her argument being that through "play" with others, people create and become themselves, and that this  not only happens with babies and children but also with communities, workforces and polarized social groups. 

One could say that what Lois is doing is re-defining play without telling us why and then calling it "revolutionary".  I don't think that matters. I personally am impressed by how she manages to stay on topic, proceed from one point to the next and keep a relaxed, personal tone of voice all the while standing on that red dot in the spotlight. That's a performance, right there.  

So just taking what she says and working backwards towards what might undergird her argument, I would say that it looks as if play, according to the examples she provides, has certain consistent characteristics.  One, it's collective. The oncology nurses, the Chinese elementary school teachers, and the police and NY teenagers are not playing alone, they are playing with each other and in fact engaging in a process of learning to play together. Second, it's conscious -- it's a performance, in which people see and are seen and respond to what they are mutually communicating. That is, it's intentionally dialectical. Third, although all three examples are of groups that are initially defined as a workforce (nurses, teachers, police/kids), it is separate from work. They are not being "productive" (although they may be more productive workers when they go back to their jobs). But for these exercises, they are off the job, engaged in something that does not directly make money.

So what if (and I'm sort of playing, here) I said that Lois is implicitly defining play as activity that is collective, dialectical and outside the profit nexus?

Come to think of it, that definition would be what distinguishes it from the collective competence exercises described in Boreham, Fischer and Samurcay, Work Process Knowledge, where firefighters or submariners prepare for emergency situations through role plays.

What do people think? 

Helena Worthen
helenaworthen@gmail.com
hworthen@illinois.edu

On Jun 20, 2014, at 9:04 AM, Huw Lloyd wrote:

> On 19 June 2014 20:57, Carol Macdonald <carolmacdon@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Well Lois
>> 
>> That was splendid, awesome! All you serious XMCAers please watch.
>> 
>> Carol
>> 
>> 
> What do you mean by "serious", Carol?  This is a TED talk.  Seriousness and
> critical thinking are not part of the agenda.
> 
> Best,
> Huw
> 
> 
>> 
>> On 19 June 2014 13:48, Lois Holzman <lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Here's the link, Carol.
>>> http://tedxnavesink.com/project/lois-holzman/
>>> 
>>> Lois Holzman
>>> Director, East Side Institute for Group & Short Term Psychotherapy
>>> 104-106 South Oxford Street
>>> Brooklyn, New York 11217
>>> Chair, Global Outreach, All Stars Project, UX
>>> Tel. +1.212.941.8906 x324
>>> Fax +1.718.797.3966
>>> lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org
>>> Social Media
>>> Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter
>>> Blogs
>>> Psychology Today| Psychology of Becoming | ESI Community News
>>> Websites
>>> Lois Holzman | East Side Institute | Performing the World
>>> All Stars Project
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Jun 19, 2014, at 3:02 AM, Carol Macdonald <carolmacdon@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Louis
>>>> 
>>>> Please could you send the link again?
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks
>>>> Carol
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On 19 June 2014 01:03, Lois Holzman <lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Hi All,
>>>>> Peter kindly posted a link to a talk I gave last month at a TEDx
>>>>> event--TEDxNavesink Play.
>>>>> Aside from the prep being among the hardest things I've ever done
>>> (staying
>>>>> within their rules and structure, not being academic but saying
>>> something
>>>>> new for people to think about, and more), it was a delight to be with
>>> folks
>>>>> who appreciate and value play--many of whom are affording people in
>>> their
>>>>> communities with the opportunity to play in all kinds of ways. It was
>>>>> really growthful for me and my team. I was really pleased to reconnect
>>> with
>>>>> Peter Gray after many years and to meet other good people. The one-day
>>>>> event was organized are 4 P's--possibility, pleasure, progress and
>>> paradox.
>>>>> I invite you all to include these talks within your conversation
>>> here--even
>>>>> though they're not theoretical. Maybe it's a new kind of play for
>> many.
>>>>> Lois
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Lois Holzman
>>>>> Director, East Side Institute for Group & Short Term Psychotherapy
>>>>> 104-106 South Oxford Street
>>>>> Brooklyn, New York 11217
>>>>> Chair, Global Outreach, All Stars Project, UX
>>>>> Tel. +1.212.941.8906 x324
>>>>> Fax +1.718.797.3966
>>>>> lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org
>>>>> Social Media
>>>>> Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter
>>>>> Blogs
>>>>> Psychology Today| Psychology of Becoming | ESI Community News
>>>>> Websites
>>>>> Lois Holzman | East Side Institute | Performing the World
>>>>> All Stars Project
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Carol A  Macdonald Ph D (Edin)
>>>> Developmental psycholinguist
>>>> Academic, Researcher,  and Editor
>>>> Honorary Research Fellow: Department of Linguistics, Unisa
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Carol A  Macdonald Ph D (Edin)
>> Developmental psycholinguist
>> Academic, Researcher,  and Editor
>> Honorary Research Fellow: Department of Linguistics, Unisa
>>