"Man is never so authentically himself as when he is at play." -Johann Schiller.

Johann Christoph Friedrich Von Schiller 1759-1805

From, The Encyclopedia of contemporary literary theory By Irene Rima Makaryk

One of the first to take advantage of the position taken by Kant on the notion of play, was Friedrich Schiller. In his On the Aesthetic Education of Man in a Series of Letters, he hypothesized that play, itself a spontaneous drive, maintains an equipoise between the other two major drives -the empirical (material and sensuous) and rational or ideational (formal and abstract). He accorded play a position of considerable importance, not only in it's relation to art but especially in its effect on personality development, for it allowed people to realize their full potentialities. For Schiller play is an indispensable feature of humanity, especially effective, like art, as self-conscious illusion, when governed by reason. By giving play such a prominent role in human development, Schiller set the pattern for all modern discussions of play, which will always involve a polarity of play and seriousness,... in which one term will invariably take precedence over the other (Spariosu, Dionysus Reborn 59). Schiller's concept also highlights the two irreducible and often conflicting senses of play: free voluntary action and random motion.

I believe that play is an essential element of communication. The ability to play is the demonstration of an excellent and highly adaptive and creative mind. Priggishness in terms of the act of living, is a lie. Life itself is a play, it is play, we play, by playing we learn life, we learn convention. Play in other terms is synonymous with learning, experimentation, with intimacy, sex, discovery, exploration... Play is the act of action and interaction as well as mutual and social action. all disciplines, all sciences, all professions are based upon play. economy is play. tokenism and monetary theory rests in play and the act of playing. there is serious play and fun play, but it is all play.

Play is affirming of the self. It would be more appropriate say, "I play, therefore I am" instead of "I think therefore I am" for I do not believe that thinking is an act that resides in the self. At many times were are made aware of thoughts, or have thoughts, so thoughts or having thoughts, only shows that a thought was had, and not that a being exists. Whereas play is the act of individuality expressed in interaction.

I believe in playfulness and finding someone to play with is one of the most wonderful things in life. To play spontaneously, is to be alive and open and aware of it's possibilities and to interact positively, and creatively with another or with a thing, or with oneself, or ones body, ore mind, or space, thereby affirming rationality, interpretation, absurdity, critique and possibility.

I believe in play.
Surely to Play, is at least the subject to the object of love.