Considering the plays in the ruins which we learnt by Edensor, Evans, Holloway, Millington and Binnie’s last Thursday reading, plays which are held in places with no surveillance tend to be problematic. People can do anything what they want to even if those things they want to do are what they cannot do in usual when they are protected and observed by someone else who care about them. What they do in places without surveillance could be illegal, for example, drinking or smoking in under age, take drugs or commit any other crimes. These plays might be fun at least for a while; however as such deeds like smoking, drinking, taking drugs are harmful to their health and committing something illegal will disgrace themselves and hurt someone else, somedays they will regret doing them.

When I was in elementary school, I used to spend my recesses sitting under the shade of an oak, tracing patterns in the bark mulch with a stick. I liked to watch the boys circle around a small rock and duel in Pokemon card games. I liked the divesity of the animals, I liked the special holographic cards, and I liked the strategizing of the game. I didn't have any Pokemon cards of my own, but neither did some of the boys who were playing. They would borrow someone's set for a round. I wanted to be a part of their game more than anything else on that playground, but I was never allowed to play, because I am a girl. The most I could do was watch. It was very clear to me from an early age that there were spaces in the world that girls were not welcome in.

Children at school are often expected to play with others, and it is often assumed that children playing alone want to play with others. The notion that children are perfectly content playing alone sometimes go under the radar, despite the fact that there are many introverted children. Children playing alone often get asked by well meaning children and adults why they aren't playing with others, and this often sends a message to young introverts that there is something wrong with them. This is one way play can be problematic, when the message that play must be done with others is sent to children at a young age. 

Play is a complex topic. Researchers are continually arguing if play has any actual benefits to it, or if it is something that our psyche just craves. Some research says that play helps develop our brains and others see play as a waste of time. Both are valid in their reasoning, but the latter is much less appealing. Playing is fun, it is something we crave, and love, and truly can learn from. It develops our minds and bodies and helps us learn right from wrong. The argument that play is, in fact, a waste of time seems very western. Fueled by the idea that if we are not making money or contributing to society by a western standard we are useless slackers. Play is a form of self-care, but work is also very important.

Play can be really problematic sometimes. Play is someting that make people feel happy and relaxing, but people need time to play. But why some people may say adults should not play is because play cost time and people easily addicted to it. When people soak themselves in playing, they cannot eaily get out.

For exmaple, one of my friends just complained to me that she spent a night playing mobile games, but she should have finished her reading. She was so disppointed to herself. She said she just could not put down her phone and focused on her assignment. Things like that often happens on me and other people. The problem caused by play at this time is that they make people obsessive and cause the result that people cannot finish the works they should have done. 

I. 

Here are my post-class notes from last week to remind you where we've been: /oneworld/arts-resistance/post-class-notes-september-21

To mix things up, we're going to start immediately with our experimental essayists -- both because Shirah suggested it and because that will mean, I hope, we can write to reflect on the class towards the end of class. (Also since we didn't go into the jail this week, I'm assuming there's less for us to process.)

Our experimental essayists this week: Sula, Han, Shirah, and Farida

II.

While play is a large part of life and development, it isn’t all fun and games. It has a dark side that can even outweigh its benefits. There are two major ways in which this occurs. The first is when play is used to avoid work. Play as a form of procrastination can be extremely detrimental, especially when it progresses into long term incompetence. Allowing play to interrupt the flow of work can cause drastic problems in both the long and short run. Second, play is harmful when risk is ignored completely. Failing to notice danger is damaging and sometimes fatal. Likewise, failing to notice others’ feelings or attributing negative feelings to the pretenses of play can be emotionally damaging for all members involved.

Alexis de Toqueville introduces history as an intended and well-thought-out project in Democracy in America. Tocqueville claims that the European invasion and rule of Indian land was determined by Providence. Tocqueville asserts that though America has the most democratic characteristics of any nation, it is not a perfect democracy because of the racism towards “Negroes” and “Indians.” Tocqueville explains the two-fold result of the expansion of civilization, which both decreased Indian economic subsistence, while deepening their interest in the commodities offered by civilization.

My previous post regarding play acknowledged my love of playing in the garden and making fairy houses. My conviction in the existence of fairies—something that was an important aspect of my play—became problematic at a certain point. My belief in the presence of fairies was strong, to a point where I would argue with other students in my elementary school and be made fun of for my childish notion. They could all pretend, though they refused to believe. I didn't wanted to think that my play was pretend- it was real, it was full of purpose (to give fairies a home). This added a more fulfilling sense to my fun and games. My peers didn’t take to my understanding, and so I had to pretend that I was pretending.