Play is self-distraction, self-relaxation, self-recuperation for the purpose of a new concentration, tension, etc. Thus play is in its totality necessarily related to an other from which it comes and at which it is aimed, and this other is already preconceived as labor through the characteristics of regimentation, tension, toil, etc. (Marcuse 1933, 128).
Work is a durable and permanent process that produces objects in the world that satisfy human needs. Play in contrast takes place unregularly and does not involve the necessity to create use-values that satisfy human needs. Play has the freedom to do with objects whatever one likes to. This can involve creating new objects, but also destroying existing objects or engaging in unproductive activity that is purely joyful and does not create anything new. This means that in playing with a ball one can develop a new form of game, destroy the ball or just toss it around for fun.
In play labour (playbour), the relationship between play and labour has changed: whereas labour is permanent and play irregular, Facebook playbour does not take place at specific times either during ‘free time’ or ‘work time’, it rather can take place any time during wage labour time, at home or on the move (via mobile devices). Play labour is irregular in the sense that it takes place at irregular times and intervals, but it is permanent because users tend to return and update their profiles and repeat their activities. Whereas labour creates new objects that have a permanency in the world and satisfy human needs and play has the freedom to do with object whatever one pleases to, the Facebook user has the freedom to design his/her profile however s/he wants to. But Facebook sets strict limits such as the available input fields, what kind of images, videos and comments are allowed to be uploaded, etc. Every browsing behaviour and activity on Facebook is made permanent in the form of data that are stored, processed, analysed and commodified for the purpose of targeted advertising. Whereas play is relaxation and distraction from the unfreedom and hardships of labour and at the same time recreation of labour power, playbour explodes the relative temporal and spatial separateness of play and labour: Facebook usage is relaxation, joy and fun and at the same time, like labour creates economic value that results or can result in monetary profits. It is recreation that generates value, consumption that is productive, play that is labour.
Play is a free activity without duration and permanence, whereas labour is unfree activity with duration and permanence. Play labour has the semblance of freedom, but is unfree in that it creates wealth and profits that are controlled not by the creators, but by others. It is regular in its irregularity, creating permanence of data storage and usage in its impermanence of usage (irregular times, no need to create something new or useful, etc.). It is fun and joy that is not like play mainly an end-in-itself or like labouring an end-for-others. It is rather as fun an end-in-itself, as social activity an end-for-others and as value-creating activity an end-for-capital, i.e. a particularistic end-for-others that monetarily benefits private property owners at the expense of play workers.
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Critical Theory of Communication