The Four Types of Play of Roger Caillois: From Competition to Chance, from Mimicry to Vertigo

What are the differences in the psychological states between playing in a baseball game, playing with crossword puzzles, entering the lottery, watching a puppet show or rolling down a hill? Is play limited to recreation or are playful elements a necessary part of working in society? What are the conditions under which play becomes corrupt? Roger Caillois’ great model of the four kinds of play reveals some very provocative answers.

Read Bruce Lerro’s article on in our Perspectives on Socialist Planning Beyond Capitalism