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

[Carol Macdonald]

Oh Helena - I posted my comment to Huw just  before your message came
through, and you did just such a balanced job of analysis. Thank you.
Carol


On 20 June 2014 14:53, Helena Worthen <helenaworthen@gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
> >>
>
>
>


-- 
Carol A  Macdonald Ph D (Edin)
Developmental psycholinguist
Academic, Researcher,  and Editor
Honorary Research Fellow: Department of Linguistics, Unisa