Blog Post #1

Blog Post #1

Assignment: Pick a game not discussed by any of the theorists we've read so far. You can choose a sport, a board game, card game, computer game -- any kind of game. Using McLuhan's essay as your guide, speculate briefly (in 300-500 words) about the perceptual and social/political effects of the game. What kinds of social interaction does the game generate (or fail to generate)? If your game is contemporary (the newest Halo game, for example), what social functions do you think it fulfills? If your game is historical (Parcheesi, for example, or boxing) what social functions do you think it originally fulfilled? Feel free to think speculatively (and creatively) about these questions -- I don't expect you do extensive research.

Have fun with this!

Caillois visual aid assignment

That's Caillois in the picture above.

Read Huizinga first, Caillois second.  Your assignment is to create a visual schema or diagram for Caillois's categories of play. The diagram/schema you make should demonstrate that you have considered carefully the relationship of each of these categories (agon, alea, mimicry, and ilinx) to the terms “paidia” and “ludus.”  The visual aid is due in class next week.  It should be visually dynamic and well designed.  It should be something that clarifies (rather than complicates) the relationships between Caillois’ terms.  I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

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