Play is Essential
Monday, June 21st, 2010 at
2:36 am
A bit of a rambling video about toys, imagination and the essentiality of play that we too often neglect as adults. A video concerning the essential nature of play: www.youtube.com
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I think this video has spoken to me on a very deep level. I remember as a child the day I stopped playing with toys and imagining due to social pressures. I don’t think I was ready to put them away and I have always wished play was more understood. I have recently regained my interest, this was difficult to explain to my gf without fear of ridicule. But, she is awesome and understands me completely. Thank you, It is psychologically comforting to know I’m normal and part of a community!
“groups”. It just amazes me that as we get older, it seems our childhood is so outdated. I am lucky enough to get all 4 of my nephews into Transformers, but it is a fleeting intrests. They get a new toy and for a week or so they love it… then… Abandonment. Currently my nephews Blaster ( cybertron Soundwave repaint ) is sitting here beside my PC because he doesn’t care for it. Its sad really, They grow up so fast these days that it really make you sad.
Very well said Mr. Elegy. I have 4 nephews and a neice and I watch them grow. It seems children these days are growing up so quickly that one of the best aspects of being a child is being banished from them. Imagination. It distresses me to see my nephews calming toys to be childish, or unneeded. Action figures, these toys, these characters help you grow and shine and help you figure out who you want to me. They teach us to respect Character uniquiness outside of trying to fit in to
thanks ill stay tuned for ur vid.
Very interesting and I agree, particularly vis-à-vis play as a dimension and expression of human uniqueness and abstract awareness.
well no rush on anythings from what im getting from your videos things seem to be going pretty good for yourself. after all living your life is more important than youtube. lol just keep up the great work. i really enjoy your videos.
Very well said.
I feel a little sorry for those who have grown up so much, they can’t enjoy a good toy or cartoon anymore. Sure, we grow up, have responsibilities, but we all need to feed our inner child. And toys are as good a way as any.
That’s unfortunate, I enjoy your videos a lot.
hey George,
wow… I believe this is the fist time you called me Vince and not Vincent ^^
No apologies. Your private life should always come first. Somehow I got the feeling it’s not Metroplex that’s been distracting you
take all the time you need.
– Vince
Brett!
Thank you. I’m very wary of attempting to defend or apologise for my hobby, as I don’t think it requires it. However, I do find the phenomena interesting fodder for thought (as I find pretty much anything and everything fodder for thought
).
Gigastorm is a real gem. I’m particularly fond of his superb battlestation mode. Now if I only had the room to display him… XD
George
Hey there bloodyrediron,
Many thanks indeed for the warning; I primarily display metroplex in city mode, so hopefully the waist won’t be too much of an issue. Still, I will definitely bear that in mind.
George
…attend a single drama or creative writing workshop or even something more pragmatic such as a therapy session and you will find such exercises utilised and promoted as a matter of course; they are means and ways of interacting with and assimilating the world around us.
Oh, Ratbat is gorgeous. Along with the Botcon Banzai-Tron, he has become one of my fave TFs ever.
Kindest regards,
George
Hey Jay,
Like yourself, I play with my Transformers and various odds and endments quite routinely; I also find myself, as a man who fully intends to live by his imagination some day, constantly weaving quite elaborate mythologies around my toys and imagining how they might speak, act etc. It is a capacity we exercise freely as children, yet have conditioned out of us when we reach a particular age under the presumption that such activities are “childish” or somehow beneath us. Yet, you…
NP Knowlsy; I’ll get around to it when i have a spare moment
George
XD
The reference to coughing up one’s own guts on TFs autoamtically brought one or two examples to mind (Beast Wars Injector, for example).
George
…will return to something approaching normal operating status sometime soon
Regards,
George
Hey there Vince,
Thank you. The channel is something of an obsession salad at the moment; I never intended it to be anything but an expression and exploration of my various enthusiasms. In point of fact, when I get some more advanced recording equipment I fully intend to put up one or two short films too.
My apologies that the channel hasn’t been terribly active of late; I’ve been…somewhat distracted by some deeply pleasant developments in my personal life. Still, I promise things…
“Idle hands…” and all that
George
I am indeed, though sadly I cannot currently funnel as much time or energy into my YouTubery as I used to. Still, there will be more from this channel reasonably soon, including one or two very special vids
George
…being to the point whereby I could cope with most situations via the exercise of imagination. Playing as a child certainly allowed me to develop that capacity, and I dread to think what I might’ve become without it.
Again, my thanks. I always look forward to your input on these matters.
George
Marc,
My sincerest thanks for both your kind words and your extremely emotive expression of your own experiences on this matter. My own experience is somewhat similar, though for different reasons; though I was never victimised or bullied at school, I found the entire environment stifling and oppressive, to the extent whereby I would imagine as not necessarily a means of escape, but a form of abstract digestion and analysis of my situation. Such capacities allowed me to evolve as a human…
Hey, now that would be very cool indeed. It looks like next year’s AA is going to be even better than the last!!
George
Hey there GlasgowPhilosopher,
I agree; if there was part of the vid I could change, it would likely be the reference to other lifeforms, as it is represents something of a simplified look at things. What I was striving towards was expressing how much more advanced and abstract our cultures are compared even to the most complex analogues amongst other animal species, not some arbitrary standard of “success.” Many thanks indeed for the kind comments,
George
Yes George! Very well put. Your final comment made me feel a little bit good inside. If the TF community were a fantasy story, you would be the wizard.
Well spoken as always. I agree of course, and feel that there is a difference between being childish and maintaining your “inner child” (we have a great word for it in swedish, but it translates poorly). A childish person embodies the worst qualities of a child, like impatience, selfishness and so on. Someone who maintains their inner child also develops the best of a child, like curiosity, an open mind an such. Playing, or having a hobby, is a great way to nurture the best of childhood.