Play as Casual Leisure

Abstract

The sequence of the next five chapters — from casual leisure to the three types of serious pursuits — will follow the Huizinga/Caillois chain of theoretic development, as set out in Chapter 1. From the leisure side, this sequence reflects the deepening sense of reward that comes with participating in hedonic activities vis-à-vis participating in ones that are fulfilling. In examining play as casual leisure in this chapter, we will follow the list of the eight types presented in the preceding chapter. The goal is to look at the hedonic side of play, its benefits, and its ramifications in social life.