Play on

Back in 2001 a group of us from Forum for the Future, Demos and Ethical Media created Vitamin-e: a kind of First Tuesday for digital sustainability types (there are more of us than you'd think).

One of the speakers was Pat Kane (formerly a pop singer with Hue & Cry, remember Looking for Linda?). Pat gave an empassioned speech about open access on mobile networks and explained that he was about to publish The Play Ethic, a book arguing that humans are naturally playful and not only happier when we are playing but more effective, creative beings.

As is the way with publishing (I got a rejection note today for a book proposal sent well over six months back) it's taken a while for The Play Ethic to arrive, but arrive it (almost) has replete with email 'network' and blog. Pat is definitely doing the right thing to market the book in blogging about the idea of play and creativity day in day out, going so far as to categorise posts by relevance to book chapters - something I haven't yet seen.

The Play Journal is worth a look because I can't help but think we all need a bit more constructive play at work and though I haven't yet read it, the blog in itself offers plenty of arguments why. I'll leave you with an example: If it's not work...