Games Can Make the World Better

Jane McGonigal: Games Can Make a Better World

Jane's four points of gaming:

• Urgent Optimism-extreme self motivation being able to motivate yourself to tackle any task that comes your way 
• Social Fabric-gamers have better people skills, research shows that we like people better after we have played a game with them 
• Blissful Productivity- we think of ourselves as happy and working hard rather then relaxing 
• Epic Meaning-gaming gives players a feeling of deep epic meaning to something they are working hard for and it encourages them to keep trying until they succeed 

As I have never been a natural gamer, I can understand Jane's points on Social Fabric. I am also not a social person so if I can hide behind a game, I like people much better. Urgent Optimism is also a point I can understand because I do tend to drive myself until I complete a task and therefore leading me to the Epic Meaning she is referring to. I can take on a challenge and will be determined to complete it. It is easy to see these points with most of my students as well.