Fun and games

Podcast: Start the Week · BBC Radio 4

Opublikowano: 2026-02-09

Games are supposed to be fun — so what happens when the logic of games, points and competition escapes the playground and starts reshaping everyday life? The novelist and games-writer Naomi Alderman and her guests explore how the joy of play collides with the pressures of a gamified society. Philosopher C Thi Nguyen introduces The Score, his examination of how ranking systems and numerical targets can both sharpen and warp our values, revealing how life becomes less playful when everything is reduced to points. Journalist and critic Keza MacDonald discusses Super Nintendo, her cultural history of th...