David Thomas: On Becoming a Playvolutionary for Fun

Dave's CliftonStrengths: Ideation | Strategic | Intellection | Input| MaximizerDavid Thomas hosts the podcast The Fun Question and co-founded Professors at Play — the nearly-1,000-member "Playvolution" remaking higher education — and co-author, with John Sharp, of Fun, Taste, and Games (MIT Press, 2019). His work argues that play isn't ornamental or adjacent to serious work. It's a distinct aesthetic with its own structure: ludic form, ambiguity, and set-outsidedness.

Recorded: Friday, May 8th, 2026