Games, Scores, and Agency: Why Enjoyment Shouldn't Be Sacrificed for Efficiency

Source: CryptoBriefing Original Title: C. Thi Nguyen: Enjoyment in activities shouldn’t be sacrificed for efficiency, the distinction between games and practical tasks is crucial, and social media’s gamification misrepresents engagement | Bankless Original Link:

Key Takeaways

• Enjoyment in activities should not be sacrificed for efficiency or higher scores
• Games are defined by voluntarily taking on obstacles to create struggle
• Not all life activities can be framed as games
• Practical activities differ from game activities in their goals and motivations
• Intrinsic motivation is key in activities like mountain climbing, rejecting shortcuts
• Motivation distinguishes games from non-games, focusing on process over outcome
• Social media’s gamification influences behavior without being true games
• Scoring systems in games provide objective performance measures
• Scoring systems can misrepresent the complexity of communication and art
• Metrics often replace nuanced understanding with simplified measures
• Outsourcing values can lead to a lack of personal understanding
• Health and well-being metrics are context-dependent and hard to quantify

About C. Thi Nguyen

C. Thi Nguyen is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Utah. He is the author of Games: Agency as Art, which explores games as an art form centered on human agency and striving. His recent book, The Score, examines how scores and metrics capture our values and reshape what matters most.

The Balance Between Enjoyment and Efficiency

The enjoyment of a game should not be sacrificed for efficiency or higher scores. Efficiency often conflicts with the intrinsic enjoyment of activities. As Nguyen notes, the pursuit of higher scores can detract from the original purpose of an activity. Efficiency-driven approaches may lead to a loss of meaning in recreational activities. The balance between enjoyment and efficiency is crucial in maintaining motivation.

Defining Games and Their Role in Life

Games involve voluntarily taking on unnecessary obstacles to create the possibility of struggle. The definition of games helps analyze behaviors and choices in life. Not all activities can be considered games, challenging the gamification of life. Games are distinct from other life activities based on their motivations. Understanding games’ role in life can enhance decision-making and engagement.

The Distinction Between Practical and Game Activities

The world divides into what Nguyen calls normal practical activity and game activity. Practical activities focus on efficiency and goal achievement, while game activities emphasize enjoyment and challenge. In normal practical activity, there’s some goal you want and you just do it as efficiently as possible. The distinction helps analyze motivations behind actions and is crucial for evaluating value in different contexts. Practical tasks prioritize outcomes, while game activities value the process.

Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation

The mountain climber who’s playing a game will reject the helicopter. Intrinsic motivation focuses on the process rather than quick rewards. This metaphor illustrates intrinsic versus extrinsic motivations—intrinsic motivation enhances the enjoyment and meaning of activities, while extrinsic rewards can detract from the satisfaction of achieving goals. Rejecting shortcuts highlights the value of intrinsic motivation.

The Impact of Gamification on Social Media

Social media operates with game-like mechanics, particularly through its scoring systems. Gamification influences behavior without being true games. It’s not a game in a really profound way but it’s superficially game-like. Social media’s gamification can misrepresent user engagement. Understanding this impact is critical for analyzing social media’s influence on our values and behaviors.

The Role of Scoring Systems

A clear scoring system in games provides an objective measure of performance and eliminates ambiguity in competition. However, scoring systems can misrepresent the complexity of communication and art. The role of scoring systems is relevant to both gaming and social media dynamics, influencing perceptions of success and value.

The Limitations of Quantitative Metrics

Quantitative metrics can be misleading if used inappropriately. Metrics often lack context needed for proper understanding. The problem comes when we don’t find the appropriate metric or balance them properly. Quantitative metrics can obscure important qualitative factors. Metrics can replace nuanced understanding with simplified measures, and recognizing metrics’ limitations can enhance decision-making and understanding.

The Impact of Outsourcing Values

Outsourcing values leads to a lack of personal understanding of what truly matters. External value systems can impact individual identity and priorities. When you outsource your values, you’re not developing a sense of what matters to you. Understanding the implications of value outsourcing is crucial for personal development.

The Influence of Societal Scoring Systems

The scoring systems we engage with can either control us or serve as tools for our own pursuits. A lot of the world’s scoring systems have a deep impact on us. Recognizing the influence of societal metrics is crucial for personal agency. The balance between societal expectations and personal goals is essential for meaningful engagement.

The Role of Playfulness

Playfulness can help individuals distance themselves from societal scoring systems. Playfulness encourages a mindset shift towards enjoyment and creativity. Playfulness is a habit that can help you regularly distance yourself from metrics-driven pressures. Recognizing playfulness’ impact can enhance satisfaction and creativity in navigating societal metrics.