In this post I present an INTRODUCTION of how to do the walk together with any of the 3 structured activities (reading, writing and drawing), combining it with the game; exposition that I will do in detail, with specific games, in 3 future posts.
It is also an exordium to combine walking with the non-competitive game and to transmit that it is not necessary to make that conjunction with any of the 3 activities of reading, writing or drawing. In addition, I will allow myself to present some definitions, comments and revelations from thinkers who have manifested the importance of play in the life of the human being.
I have already exposed in Post PLAY AND WALK-PART I. NO TO COMPETITION, YES TO FUN, about the purpose we have of not using -within the WALK-RWD system- games that include competition (NO TO COMPETITION); of trying to eliminate the influence and the conditioning -manipulations- that we receive since we are born to develop games that even with ourselves we compete; and to try, with the games combined with the 3 structured activities, to have fun and to encourage us with freedom while we walk.
In itself, this post will be dedicated 1) to the understanding of what play is; 2) to specify and explain its primary, secondary and tertiary characteristics; and 3) for those people who do not wish to read, write and draw, we present several games that do not involve competition among human beings, nor with oneself.
Let’s move on to the concept of play.
In a general way, we can define the game as a need that the human being has to use certain accumulated energy, as much physical, as mental and emotional, by means of which it does not look for a productive nor utilitarian aim, but to amuse itself. It is a vital manifestation as much corporal as spiritual, that allows him to project those natural inclinations, from the simplest activities to the most complex. From the historical point of view, we can affirm that its manifestations have been reflected in sports, education, literature, and in a great diversity of human activities. The word game was used in antiquity as a title for public shows, hence certain literary events were named, such as school games, games of mockery, floral games, etc.
Johan Huizinga, in his book Homo Ludens, written in 1954, expresses us: “The game is a free action or occupation, which is developed within determined temporal and spatial limits, according to absolutely obligatory rules, although freely accepted, action that has its end in itself and is accompanied by a feeling of tension and joy and the consciousness of ‘being otherwise’ than in ordinary life […] This category, game, seems to be considered as one of the most fundamental spiritual elements of life”.
I would like to comment that this word of game or the verb to play, has been used in all cultures, and likewise in the different epochs and in the present, as a metaphor, simulation, paragon, analogy, allegory, image, translation, dissimulation, euphemism, within a figurative language; it has also been used by means of all its usual and constituted synonyms of ordinary use: amusement, recreation, trickery, caper, mischief, sport, entertainment, trick, joke, leisure, pastime, recreational exercise, game, sporting encounter, risk, bet; synonyms used in substitution of functioning, movement, mechanism, disposition, possibility, of exposing oneself, intervening, taking part, handling, and dozens of other semantic translations; which gives it a great capacity for use as a metaphor almost for everything, with the implicit understanding that nothing is “at stake” in itself, but quite the opposite, since it implies formality in its totality and not just one part, complete seriousness and nothing in jest, reality and nothing imaginary, the certain without any doubt. The use of the word GAME – its derivatives and disinformation – unfolds spreading to the generality of the powers (predominances) of human experience.
I believe that we must be more precise and cautious in the use of the word “game”.
Let’s go to the conception of the characteristics of the game.
The primary characteristics of the play activity are rules, order, movement (physical and mental), celebration, rites, principles, objective, customs, time of duration, techniques, competition, separation of daily and ordinary activities, a specific place, site or space, challenge, controversy, surprise the other players, uncertainty, fight, struggle, retribution, reward, rhythm, not looking for material utility – in past times (now yes) -, hobby; characteristics that coincide with many other human activities that contain them and that are also part of its essential constitution, nevertheless, the most determining ones of the game are the spontaneity and the unconcern that define it and essentially that it is carried out with freedom.
What is relevant about these characteristics -primary ones- is their permanence, their almost total invariability and their biunivocity between quality and activity; if they were not presented in this way, they would cease to have their qualification of primary ones.
The secondary characteristics are also called sensitive qualities, because of the effects that the primary characteristics generate on the human being when participating in these game activities, either as a direct participant or as a spectator. That is to say, they are the faculties that have to provoke sensorial impressions (perceptions?) when the human being has contact with his senses, both external and internal (Future Post WALKING AND THE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL SENSES). Unlike the primary qualities, these are highly variable, that is, not very constant. As a relevant fact, according to some experts, these secondary qualities are presented “at a conscious level”. Each individual will receive in different ways and degrees the impressions of these characteristics. The secondary characteristics are: joy, optimism, deceit, lies, cheating, hobby, abstraction, ecstasy, tension (mental and physical).
The tertiary characteristics are the reactions or responses of human beings in their relationship to the primary and secondary qualities of the activity (or object). They are those qualities that are attributed mentally -consciously or unconsciously- to play. Perhaps these responses are a reflection of the individual participant’s own direct participation or as an observer. It is logical to think that each individual may have a different degree or way of reacting to the game activity, either by direct participation or as an observer.
The tertiary characteristics generally contain the 2 antagonistic poles of human behavior; for example: euphoria (prostration), failure (success), disillusionment (encouragement), courage (fear, serenity), confidence (mistrust), enthusiasm (apathy), passion (calmness), insecurity (firmness), joy (sadness), outburst (calm, tranquility).
In ancient times, the game was played for the enjoyment itself, but nowadays the reward is invariably sought which translates into money, fame, notoriety, reputation, success, renown or prestige.
Huizinga, respectfully, states: “This increase in the agonal sense [competition], by which the world is moved in the direction of play, has been fostered by another external factor, basically independent of the spirit of culture: the fact that, in all fields and by all means, communication among men has become so extraordinarily easy. Technique, advertising and propaganda incite competition. Commercial competition does not belong to the primitive and sacred games. It begins when commerce begins to create fields of activity in which one has to try to outdo and surprise others. Soon certain limiting rules become indispensable, which constitute the mercantile uses”.
It is true that in the most remote times the game hardly contained elements of competition, although there are plenty of examples where these elements are also inserted. The Potlach was, for some, like a game, although for others not; it was a party achieved by the delivery (the granting) of gifts allowing one of the players to put himself above his competitors (one or several) and demonstrate his superiority. The neurotic implication of superiority, expressed in the Potlach can be extended to tips, charity, handouts, donations, etc., an egocentric neurotic form disguised as gift giving to dominate and place oneself above others. A game, a competition, a party? Each particular case should be reviewed.
#1259, GAME IMPULSE
In the present times the disinterest in the search for material utility has been forgotten and there are very few games where they are not dominated and manipulated by competition and the search for that materialistic retribution, of the utilitarian and/or monetary type.
The important and outstanding thing would be that walking would be played avoiding competition. The other actions that in the modern epoch are associated to the game, as the bets, to win money, the lucrative thing, etc., could be eliminated and in exchange something useful and productive would be obtained, because with the alone fact of having played and walked it would be quite beneficial and valuable for the full development of the human being.
There are opinions that the game arises from culture as an intrinsic need of it, through which the human being looks for fun. On this, Huizinga expresses: “Competition and exhibition do not arise from culture as its diversions, but rather, they precede it”. What Huizinga wants to mean in this statement is that play is consubstantial in the human being and is not a product generated by any cultural process, but is already immersed in the essence of it; play creates culture.
In order to motivate us and not lose our enthusiasm, we should be aware of which ways or attitudes can deviate us in our purposes of encouraging and having fun; as an example of this we can comment that we should not play the same game always, because we would get bored; so look for the non Monotony in the game, it would be highly recommended (Future Post THE CORRECT MANAGEMENT OF THE FLOATING TIME IN THE DECISION TO WALK, in which I make the difference between ROUTINE and MONOTONY). Also, within this scheme, we will have to change the usual paths in our daily walk. How? By choosing new directions and new courses, constantly selecting varied books to read. Writing different literary genres such as poems, letters, etc., and of course, playing while we walk and, if we want and can, doing some of the structured activities within the WALK-RWD system.
Combining play with walking, reading, writing and drawing, sounds a little complicated, I think it works, but in advance I tell you, what I have repeated in several posts, that when one is passionate, the complicated is facilitated and now I can also express that when one is abstracted in the game, it is (transcends) the same way, because the difficulties in actions or thought are resolved satisfactorily, making the difficult easy, but above all it is fun and encourages us, allowing us to spend pleasant moments.
It should be noted that making a game while walking should be combined with only one of the 3 structured activities. And it is up to the walker-player to develop more than one additional activity. But of course it can be done! The games combined with the 3 structured activities in the WALK-RWD system will be presented in 3 future posts.
Let’s use a concept that in its core elements can clarify many things in relation to these activities that are related within the WALK-RWD system. The word is AUTOTHELIC, which comes from the Greek autos: the same, and telos: end. When we find it in some text it moves us to think about ACTIVITIES, and it transports us to feel that anyone can be in MOTION, but it is an essentially mental movement, and combined with the aesthetic and artistic, but not necessarily with a Master Artistic Work (Literary). Likewise, the conceptualization of Autothelic transmits us that this implicit activity, because of something that the writer has or is assigning to it, is PASSIONATE, ABSORBENT, and with it the author wants to communicate that the individual who is in the context of this literary work, is very fascinated, attracted and seduced in an excessive way, and that he is also interested in it. It is the transmission of a binomial of PLAY with ART, both creative concepts, which have a direct relationship with the expression emotional and mental of the person who experiences it, however, it is not related in a conscious way with the achievement of something productive and useful, but it is obtained in an unconscious way (*). It is part of the human instinct that seeks UNCONSCIOUS FUN, through the artistic impulse and also to play with oneself. The purpose (telos: end), the achievement, the sense or the satisfaction is in the activity itself, or as Huizinga himself said of the game: it is an “action that has its end in itself”.
(*) However, here we find the germ of all artistic creation or a large percentage of it, whose essential elements are precisely the game, the pleasure and the sense that arise from one’s unconscious.
1085, THE PAINTER QUIXOTE
In this attempt to move people to walk while playing, I am prolonging this Autothelic concept by extending it to the plastic, to painting, sculpture and drawing, and specifically to our theme of walking. Art for art’s sake, walking for walking’s sake, and so whatever activity we have to do, let’s look for that Autothelic solution.
Let’s extract the key elements of the concept AUTOTHELIC, as they are: ACTIVITIES, MOVEMENT, PASSION, ABSORBENT, PLAY, ART, UNCONSCIOUS FUN, and let’s review the concept “Game” with respect to those same elements, in its constitution and structure.
Having selected the primary characteristics of the game, we can extract: order, tension (mental and physical), movement (physical and mental), enthusiasm, passion, rules, celebration, competition, joy, separation from daily activities and currents, a specific place, site or space, abstraction, ecstasy, challenge, controversy, surprising other players, uncertainty, struggle, retribution, reward, insecurity, joy, rapture, enthusiasm and rhythm.
Let’s see their coincidence. Neither game, nor art, nor absorbing, nor fun, nor unconscious are located; however, game and art are the activities to be developed at the same time we walk; the absorbing, fun, and unconscious are equated to celebration, rejoicing, joy, abstraction, ecstasy, rapture.
In synthesis we can decide to walk always with the incentive that we will be able to combine it with the game and with the art (to read, to write and/or to draw) in a SELF-HARMONY (absorbent, amusing and exciting activity in itself): ACTIVITIES, MOVEMENT, PASSION, ABSORBENT, PLAY, ART, UNCONSCIOUS FUN.
On the other hand, we know that there is the kind of person who cannot perform their duties because they simply do not feel an obligation to do so, even though they know they have that moral or family duty or commitment (Post WALK, DO NOT PROCRASTINE, DO IT NOW; Future Post COMBATING BAD HABITS WITH THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM, SOLUTION TO PROCRASTINATION), however, I believe that if they would transform that obligation into some kind of game, they would not have that problem or at least they would lessen it: Obligations with SELF-CONTROLLED answers and solutions.
Finally, let’s look at some simple, non-competitive games, without having to read, write or draw.
When we find ourselves walking alone and do not wish to read, write or draw, we can transform contemplation into a diversity of games, which can encourage us not to fail, and continue walking, making it different. An autothelic playful contemplation.
For example, if we find ourselves walking in some place with trees, we can calculate the number of leaves that some low branch has and then count them to observe how much we were close to getting it right. If it is an open place, calculate the time that the sun would start to hide behind any cloud; or calculate the time that any cloud would start to cover it. Another game is that of cloud races: define which cloud of 2 or 3 will be the fastest; the cloud that is the furthest ahead in the sky wins or occupies the first place (competition?). Another game is to guess which animal, of those that exist in the field where we walk, mammals, birds or insects, we will meet first (again: competition?).
If the day is sunny, discover the shapes of animals that the clouds project over the barren lands that can be observed; when there are many clouds and they can be seen over the sky, discover the different figures of animals or other shapes that they mold with their own vaporous bodies.
Another game consists of discovering animal shapes that some large rocks projected with their shadows on sunny days. Even some rocks that stand out from the ground show extraordinary figures.
All these games can be played either in solitude or in the company of other people; but if we find ourselves walking in the company of a person we can invite him/her to play any of these games taking care that they do not become a competition, warning that they are played just because of their attractiveness and fun, in themselves. In this line of walking accompanied, we can suggest making some word games, but this will be presented in Future Posts PLAY, WHILE WE READ AND WALK, Post PLAY, WHILE WE WRITE AND WALK and Post PLAY, WHILE WE DRAW AND WALK, with the safeguard of not competing.
Walking together with playing we can transform them into autothelic activities. Everyone can invent the games that they like the most. But … without stopping walking.
