I perhaps could have been more explicit but I alluded to it here:
“Adventurous undertakings such as mountain climbing, backpacking, long-distance kayaking or biking, deep sea diving, and many other types of excursions we can imagine challenge this binary.”
To your point, I am trying to illustrate here that defining things like adventure, work, and play aren’t as clear cut as we’d like.
I'm solidly shades-of-gray. I agree with (and aspire to achieve) James Michener's answer to the work or play question...
"The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both."
Adventure is play for most of us. Exceptions include those whose jobs involve excitement and uncertainty such as Formula 1 drivers or rodeo bull riders.
For me, adventure is a job. I am a tour guide (writing at the moment from Egypt). But I think the adventure, by its nature is a "play". We do it for the joy of discovery the workers of the world.
To me this is the wrong positioning. Unless you are being paid or somehow profit from climbing mountains, kayaking, and other outdoor activities, I don't see how it could be categorized as anything but "play." So I don't think of adventure in terms of "work, play or something in-between."
However, the real question is how meaningful play is in our lives. It's easy to dismiss "play," and put it below work in importance. But play can be a bonding and important element. I wrote a piece about this:
It depends on what you mean by "adventure"....
I perhaps could have been more explicit but I alluded to it here:
“Adventurous undertakings such as mountain climbing, backpacking, long-distance kayaking or biking, deep sea diving, and many other types of excursions we can imagine challenge this binary.”
To your point, I am trying to illustrate here that defining things like adventure, work, and play aren’t as clear cut as we’d like.
I'm solidly shades-of-gray. I agree with (and aspire to achieve) James Michener's answer to the work or play question...
"The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both."
That is a fantastic quote! Thanks for sharing this Jeff. Cheers!
Adventure is play for most of us. Exceptions include those whose jobs involve excitement and uncertainty such as Formula 1 drivers or rodeo bull riders.
For me, adventure is a job. I am a tour guide (writing at the moment from Egypt). But I think the adventure, by its nature is a "play". We do it for the joy of discovery the workers of the world.
To me this is the wrong positioning. Unless you are being paid or somehow profit from climbing mountains, kayaking, and other outdoor activities, I don't see how it could be categorized as anything but "play." So I don't think of adventure in terms of "work, play or something in-between."
However, the real question is how meaningful play is in our lives. It's easy to dismiss "play," and put it below work in importance. But play can be a bonding and important element. I wrote a piece about this:
https://joemullich.substack.com/p/the-healing-power-of-play?r=1py3wd