a fun TED Talk about Super Mario Bros. and learning / goals

[Darren Dirt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vJRopau0g0

Cliffs: life will have challenges, so gamify it! -- make it more fun -- and you'll even be more likely successful -- if you keep focusing on the princess instead of the pits.



PS: Wow, the poor nieces and nephews of this guy #TrustIssues

[Mr. Analog]

The danger I see with gamification is the game starts to shift focus from the goal.

I look at social media sites that gamify activity and response to that activity and see how it warps peoples' minds. It shifts between sharing and connecting to an actual need for some people to boost their statistics. Like it's great to have a jillion hearts or +1's on a post but that can't be the focus of what you are doing. I see people chase the game itself and get lost in it.

Anyway, I'm just going off the summary I haven't watched the video yet

[Darren Dirt]

Summary is misleading.

The video is fun and funny, more than most TED Talks for sure.

And it is about you as an individual your outlook / attitude, not getting too focused on failures cuz THAT IS HOW WE LEARN (e.g. kids starting to walk) ... it is not about stuff like others motivating you by gamifying things -- in case that was the impression.

[Lazybones]

Also not to diminish the video but TEDx presentations are not 100% the same thing as the big TED ones.


It was interesting to watch and I think made a good point about focusing on the goal and not worrying about failure.

[Darren Dirt]

True.

And yeah imagine a kid learning to walk who "loses" some kind of limited supply of something every time he face plants. Vs. the typical parent jubilant response when he succeeds (and not much whem he fails). Too bad so often that environment seems to get reversed by work or family relationships (or is done by our own self). Reason why "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff" book series sold lots I reckon.


...anyone else wish they could buy that giant nerf gun?