I’ve been sending this link out for the last week but had neglected to post it here. It’s the most cogent and far-reaching explanation that I’ve seen of the convergence between our networked digital lives and game mechanics.
That’s a mouthful but CMU professor Jesse Schell delivers the facts and their implications with verve and humor.
later
In almost all philosophies, the premise that play is at the heart of meaning is old news. But how we play changes meaning just as surely as language shapes it. The possibilities created by our new games would certainly have delighted the philosophers and theologians of yesteryear.
even later
The strongest parts of Schell’s presentation are about “psychological tricks” that get people to spend more money. And while spending money might seem like a shallow activity, it’s one of the ways we communicate what we value. It’s a vote of confidence. And to get someone to vote for you is not an insignificant pathway to explore.