SEEKING PLAY

Mural Madlibs Alert!

Episode 5

Savannah Who?

Touching on artistic, academic and activist modes, her work centres on the importance of playfulness, joy and emotionally supportive creative practice in our engagement with eco-social sustainability. Her multidisciplinary toolbox includes imagination practices, future thinking, participatory research methods, co-design workshops, information architecture and service design approaches.

LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/savannahvize/

The Eco-Citizen's Playbook - linktr.ee/ecoplaybook

Living Directory for the The Eco-Citizen's Playbook

Website - www.savannahvize.com

Portfolio and CV - https://campsite.bio/savannahvize

Referenced

Timestamps

(0:00) - Introduction and welcome

(0:08) - Host introductions and podcast reminder

(0:33) - Guest introduction: Savannah Visce's background

(1:15) - Savannah's interview highlights

(1:27) - Quotes from Savannah's interview

(2:04) - Recognition of Savannah's impact

(3:23) - Savannah joins the podcast

(3:29) - Savannah's childhood and early interests

(4:45) - Childhood play experiences

(6:10) - Adult playfulness and its importance

(7:15) - Chosen quotes and their significance

(10:14) - Balancing seriousness and playfulness

(11:30) - Savannah's career start and advice to her younger self

(12:55) - Career evolution and current work

(16:04) - Explanation of the Eco Playbook

(19:04) - Importance of the distinction between play and playfulness

(22:46) - Contributions of play and playfulness to environmental action

(27:26) - Situated play design vs. gamification

(30:42) - Artifacts created for the Eco Playbook

(33:39) - Most impactful artifact

(35:08) - Ideal users of the Eco Playbook

(36:04) - Engagement with the Eco Playbook and future collaborations

(37:16) - Mad Libs activity and insights

(40:48) - Closing remarks and appreciation

LEGO Literacy Alert!

Around the 1.20 mark, Pat uses LEGO to answer some questions. It's definitely worth watching!

___________________

Hello there!

We’re Dr. Jane Hession and Ronan Healy. We’re a husband and wife team and co-founders of the service design studio How Might We - www.howmightwe.design

We're passionate about Play and provide online and in-house training in the LEGO Serious Play method to:

1) Third-level Educators - https://bit.ly/LSP_Ed_Innovators

2) Organisational Innovators - https://bit.ly/LSP_Org_Innovators

Episode Four

Before you settle into this episode, pop on your leg warmers, shoulder pads, and acid-washed denim as you need to rock out to our guest's 80s anthem!

Hue & Cry - Labour Of Love - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CYZ6q7Wr9c

Ain't gonna work, for you NO MORE!!!

I can't stand it, I said I just don't.....Oh, hello. You're back :)

Not only is Pat Kane a pop legend (as is his bandmate and brother, Greg), but he is also a futurist, curator, consultant, activist, father, and partner. He is the author of The Play Ethic and its forthcoming sequel, SUPERPLAY.

With a long and varied career in media and arts, Pat consults and speaks globally. Pat was - and is - a lead campaigner for Scottish independence, and co-initiated the political lab Alternative Global

Pat who? 

Book

www.theplayethic.com/thebook.html

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/patkane

Email

[email protected]

Twitter

@theplayethic

Main website

www.patkane.global

Blog

www.theplayethic.typepad.com

Pat’s Creative Consultancy

www.theplayethic.com

Pat’s Organisational Consultancy

www.newintegrity.org

Alternative Global

https://www.thealternative.org.uk

Topics Covered

Capitalist Realism - Mark Fisher

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalist_Realism

Capitalism On Edge - Albena Azmanova

https://cup.columbia.edu/book/capitalism-on-edge/9780231195379

Finite and Infinite Games A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility - James P. Carse

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finite_and_Infinite_Games

The Culture Series - Iain M.Banks

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_series

The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture - Manuel Castells

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Information_Age:_Economy,_Society_and_Culture

At Home In The Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organisation and Complexity - Stuart Kauffman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Kauffman

DAVID BOWIE: Internet is the new rock n' roll

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiK7s_0tGsg

Timestamps

(0:00) - Introduction

(4:08) - Pat's childhood experiences and imagination

(10:19) - Adult playfulness and structured play in adulthood

(12:33) - The playful dimension of gender and identity

(14:45) - The cultural shift towards play and self-determination

(16:02) - Balancing seriousness and playfulness in work

(19:04) - The importance of a Play Zone for creativity and innovation

(21:47) - The balance of risk and security in developmental play

(23:35) - The role of fundamental human nature in play science

(25:41) - The necessity of play for adaptability and innovation

(28:33) - Pat's earlier career and the influence of post-punk music

(33:03) - Developing a mentality of well-becoming

(38:02) - The societal implications of playful software development

(44:53) - Pat's book "The Play Ethic" and its impact

(47:17) - The balance of work and life, and the importance of play

(58:06) - The impact of game theory on understanding play

(59:18) - Exploring the societal playground and the need for play space and time

(1:03:31) - The role of complexity theory in understanding play

(1:13:23) - The interplay of care and creativity in work

(1:14:12) - The role of the gaming industry in legitimizing play

(1:16:23) - The need for a foundational approach to play and game studies

(1:18:23) - Pat's perspective on human creativity and its darker aspects

(1:23:35) - The role of paradox and adaptability in human creativity

(1:27:02) - Writing the book "Super Play" and addressing dark creativity

LEGO Literacy Alert!

Around the 1.23 mark, Di uses LEGO to answer some questions!

______________________

Hello there!

We’re Dr. Jane Hession and Ronan Healy. We’re a husband and wife team and co-founders of the service design studio How Might We - www.howmightwe.design

We're passionate about Play and provide online and in-house training in the LEGO Serious Play method to:

1) Third-level Educators - https://bit.ly/LSP_Ed_Innovators

2) Organisational Innovators - https://bit.ly/LSP_Org_Innovators

Episode Three

Digital Transformations and Systemic Change firmly reside in the parlance of organisational design, but since 2018, we've wondered if there's space for 'Playful Awakenings.' 

Di Gammage, a Buddhist Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor, and Child Psychotherapist, authored the book "Playful Awakenings", and we're delighted to feature her as our second guest.

This was a wonderful conversation; we're confident you will enjoy it too.

Guest Details 

"Playful Awakenings" Book

⁠https://www.amazon.co.uk/Playful-Awakening-Releasing-Gift-Play/dp/184905150X⁠

Di's LinkedIn Page

linkedin.com/in/dianne-gammage-4846bb42

Website 

https://playful-awakening.org/ 

Email 

[email protected] 

Topics Covered

A Playful Awakening in SouthWest Airlines - The best and funniest Safety Demo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbNy5Cc7GL8 

Book Recommendation - "I Wonder” by Annaka Harris 

https://www.amazon.com/I-Wonder-Annaka-Harris/dp/1940051045 

Robert Landy - Mind-Body Healing Through the Arts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMLTJtMonVgn 

Peter Levine - What is 'Titration' in Trauma Therapy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjNk3ns1MKY 

'Falling Asleep' and how it links to Gabor Maté's work on addiction 

Gabor Maté – Authenticity Leads To Freedom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1esGZE7whN0 

Gabor Maté - How Play Can Heal Your Relationships

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L4V1cY5Pvs 

Sharon Salzberg - Loving Kindness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQSWsOORBFY

Introduction to Voice Movement Therapy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Z_dxCYV40 

Timestamps

(0:00) - Introduction

(2:32) - Discussion on Play and Playfulness in Organizations

(4:12) - Serious Workplace vs. Playful Interactions

(7:03) - D Gamage's Background and Early Life

(10:02) - Impactful Childhood Experience

(14:37) - Transition to Adult Playfulness

(17:23) - Balancing Seriousness and Play in Therapy

(20:02) - Breath and Its Importance in Therapy

(22:56) - Playfulness and Systems Thinking

(24:25) - Advice to Younger Self

(26:02) - Evolution of Di's Career

(29:55) - Impact of Working with Vulnerable Youth

(31:54) - The Role of Play Therapy

(35:26) - Playfulness in Serious Environments

(38:07) - Excerpt from Di's Book: Playful Awakening

(39:25) - Connecting Play to Something Bigger

(44:19) - Play and Confidence in Career

(47:45) - Shadow Side of Play and Abuse

(50:38) - Importance of Play in the Workplace

(52:02) - Mindfulness and Playfulness

(56:25) - Concept of the Cloak

(1:00:55) - Elaborating on the Cloak

(1:06:05) - Play in Overwhelming Situations

(1:12:38) - Presence as an Act of Love

(1:15:10) - Falling Asleep Metaphor

(1:20:14) - Attention as a Moral Act

(1:23:29) - First Lego Build: What Inspires Di's Work

(1:30:27) - Final Advice on Play and Playfulness in the Workplace

Hello there!

We’re Dr. Jane Hession and Ronan Healy. We’re a husband and wife team and co-founders of the service design studio How Might We - www.howmightwe.design

We're passionate about Play and provide online and in-house training in the LEGO Serious Play method to:

1) Third-level Educators - https://bit.ly/LSP_Ed_Innovators

2) Organisational Innovators - https://bit.ly/LSP_Org_Innovators

Episode Two

Christian had to be our first guest, considering he worked closely with the late Jaak Panksepp.

Christian's work has also been a great inspiration to us, such as his book 'Animal Emotions: How They Drive Human Behaviour' plus his research papers:

1) How the six primary emotional systems are linked to the Big Five personality traits

2) Linking primary emotional traits to ideological attitudes and personal value types

3) The relationship between parenting behaviour and the personality of Kindergarten children

We highly advise you to:

1) read the short (and free!) book 'Animal Emotions: How They Drive Human Behaviour'

2) take the ANPS test to see how you score on Primary Emotions (plus your answers will help contribute to the data set)

Professor Christian Montag

Christian Montag is interested in the molecular genetics of personality and emotions. He combines molecular genetics with brain imaging techniques such as structural/functional MRI to better understand individual differences in human nature. Since September 2014, he has been a Professor of Molecular Psychology at Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.

Free Book (definitely worth a read!)

https://punctumbooks.com/titles/animal-emotions-how-they-drive-human-behavior/ 

Free test (definitely worth 10 minutes!)

https://affective-neuroscience-personality-scales.jimdosite.com/take-the-test/ 

How the six primary emotional systems are linked to the Big Five personality traits

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84366-8 

Linking primary emotional traits to ideological attitudes and personal value types

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0279885 

More of Christian's Research

⁠https://www.uni-ulm.de/en/in/psy-mp/team/christian-montag/⁠

Christian's Contact Information 

Linkedin

linkedin.com/in/christian-montag-961732b7 

Website 

christianmontag.de 

Email 

[email protected] 

Twitter 

@ChrisMontag77 

Timestamps

(0:00) - Introduction and podcast overview
(0:27) - Introduction to Jaak Panksepp's work
(1:07) - Seven primary emotions and seeking system
(1:39) - Origin of the podcast name "Seeking Play"
(2:03) - Guest introduction: Dr. Christian Montag
(3:00) - Reference to "Animal Emotions" book
(3:20) - Affective Neuroscience Personality Scale (ANPS)
(4:29) - Interview with Dr. Christian Montag begins
(5:01) - Introduction and Dr. Montag's background
(7:01) - Influence of childhood and upbringing
(9:00) - Importance of social connections
(12:01) - Balancing playfulness and seriousness in work
(15:04) - Path to becoming a psychologist
(16:18) - Early career and mentorship
(18:01) - Evolution of Dr. Montag's career
(20:10) - Explaining work to a younger audience
(20:48) - First meeting with Yak Panksepp
(23:02) - Collaborative research with Yak Panksepp
(25:03) - Yak Panksepp's impact on understanding human personality
(25:46) - Advancements in understanding play
(27:43) - Screen time and digital society
(29:45) - Importance of human relationships
(30:01) - Discussion on the seeking system
(31:19) - Personal stories illustrating primary emotional systems
(34:32) - Connection between curiosity and seeking system
(35:45) - Overview of Affective Neuroscience Personality Scale (ANPS)
(38:22) - High seeking and play scores explained
(39:59) - Cross-cultural study suggestion
(40:53) - Linking flow and seeking systems
(43:37) - Serious play in sports and workplace
(47:41) - Importance of choosing work wisely
(50:21) - Conclusion and closing remarks

Hello there!

We’re Dr. Jane Hession and Ronan Healy. We’re a husband and wife team and co-founders of the service design studio How Might We - www.howmightwe.design

We're passionate about Play and provide online and in-house training in the LEGO Serious Play method to:

1) Third-level Educators - https://bit.ly/LSP_Ed_Innovators

2) Organisational Innovators - https://bit.ly/LSP_Org_Innovators

We're delighted to have you as a listener. Please get in touch with us if you would like to be a guest or have a guest suggestion.

Episode One

In 2015, we hoped to become parents and did what every expecting parent does. Buy ten books on parenting…read one, skim one....and leave the others to gather dust!

Coincidentally, at the same time, we were trying to figure out if the LEGO® Serious Play® method had any merit as a service design and systems thinking tool.

Trying to understand the LEGO® method led us back to the parenting books we had abandoned, which then took us down a rabbit hole of trying to understand two questions,

What is Play? and Why do we Play?

Since starting our "Play Odessey", we’ve come to understand that to answer these questions, we’re actually trying to understand:

1) What is cognition?

2) What is perception?

3) What is human physiology?

4) What is it to be a human being?

5) What is the centre of Human-centred design? (if that’s not too grandiose a question)

Before starting this podcast, we wanted to ensure that “cute” or “fluffy” conversations about play and playfulness didn’t happen. We know the workplace is serious. We’re not naive to that fact.

Since 2015, we’ve taken a serious look at play, and it’s taken us to rich and varied disciplines such as:

1) Pragmatism

2) Ecological Psychology

3) Affective Neuroscience

4) Material Engagement Theory

5) The Enactivist Approach and 4E cognition

6) Play Therapy, Psychology and Psychotherapy

The people we’ve interviewed have written books and research papers and dedicated much of their working lives to these topics. Because of that, our podcast is unapologetically long form. We want to know the person behind the research.

The name SEEKING PLAY is a homage to the work of Jaak Panksepp, which we cover in our video. We're delighted to have you as a listener and hope you enjoy this episode.