In the course of twenty minutes during this Ted Talk, I have evolved from an ignoramus about gaming to a believer in the possibility of “epic wins” for humanity and global problem solving. Jane McGonigal’s convincing anecdotes, statistics and optimism accelerated my change of heart and mind as she spun out the story of gaming and its possibilities. Because of a compelling sense of urgency, structured social interaction, confidence, tireless engagement, and several dopamine squirts, the gamer is able to tackle, persevere, and celebrate wins that would seem too daunting in “real life.” McGonigal asserts that the transferable learning from these exercises could save the world–or at least address real problems—especially if the content of these games starts to mirror actual crises and conundra challenging us in the 21st century.
How will we in the faith community harness some of that energy that jumped off the screen depicting the gamer on his way to an epic win? Will we be able to provide a platform, a safe space, room to dialogue, a place to play and invent and imagine? Or will we be tsk-tsking as we suggest a better use of 10,000 hours to reach mastery? Can we coopt this kind of natural energy without damaging the fun and freedom that people experience while playing? If we make it more purposeful, does it just seem like a Calvinist trick?
I have to admit that I know of nobody in my church who plays World of Warcraft.
But I am going to find out more as soon as I get home.
medium rare 