A Belief System for the 21st Century

Surface level close up on an abstract engineering blueprint drawing of blue striped gear mechanism, with shiny metallic gears in the foreground

Authors:

Steven Johnson

Quotations

“This strange hankering for play and surprise”

That exploratory, expansive drive is what separates delight from demand: when we are in play mode, we are open to new surprises, while our base appetites focus the mind on the urgent needs of staying alive. Understanding that distinction is critical to understanding why play – despite its seemingly frivolous veneer – has led to so many important discoveries and innovations. The question of why the Home sapiens brain possesses this strange hankering for play and surprise is a fascinating one….

2016 from the book Wonderland: How Play Made the Modern World

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