“Somewhere at some time we were brainwashed into thinking fun is bad and unthinkingly took on board the puritanical belief that we shouldn’t be enjoying ourselves. This same thinking is common in totalitarian regimes. They don’t like fun either. I say screw ’em. Let’s strike a blow for freedom and creativity. Enjoy yourself, express your ideas, and have fun doing so. You’ll do whatever it is that much better.”
– John Hegarty, Hegarty on Creativity: There Are No Rules
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“A deadly seriousness emanates from all other forms of life. The yell of pain and of fear man has in common with the beasts, but he alone smiles and laughs.”
– Eric Hoffer, quoted in Eric Hoffer: The Longshoreman Philosopher, Tom Bethell
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What do we gain by not having fun?
What value is there in seriousness?
I have encountered situations over the years, in workplaces, where people acted so serious, ergo they took themselves so seriously.
Why?
I don’t know.
I’ve never worked where there were lives in danger. Not a war zone nor hostage negotiation.
There was no urgent need for seriousness.
But I know that seriousness made work less enjoyable without motivating me to make my work any better.
If we enjoy what we do and share it with others everyone will be better and have more fun.
Conversations With Quotations 