Taming Play: Map of Play Ideologies in the West and in China

Abstract

This paper investigates the approaches to the utilitarian use of play and games in the West and in China. In order to do so, starting from examples pertaining to both cultures, it draws a map of the different ideologies of play, ranging from the idea that play is something silly and unimportant, to the more hostile reactions towards games portrayed as dangerous, to the enthusiastic idea — linked to gamification — of using play in every situation in order to boost engagement and participation. These ideologies are then situated around a semiotic square based on their attitude towards play and it is suggested that a fourth position may exist, less easy to handle but possibly more objective.