Sometimes I really feel the pinch of living in the modern world. The high-paced, highly-strung, demanding, attentive-starved, commercial society we inhabit leaves me feeling isolated, exhausted, worn thin, distracted, and cash-strapped. In those moments, my sense of self gets squeezed and I find myself staring into despair.

Other times, especially when I sit down with friends and play a game, I get a release from that pinch. The world slows down, the faces relax, the demands of others drift into the background, my attention is on one thing (the game), and it’s all being done for the sake of camaraderie. In these moments, my sense of self is elevated and expanded and I find myself feeling enjoyment.

I can’t allow myself to forego the times of enjoyment because of the pressures of the modern world. In fact, I would contend that (if we want to) we can collectively choose to slow down, relax, give people space, focus our attention, and do something for reasons other than commerce. We can decide to be playful with our friends and colleagues, even if not at the table.

Experimenting with this conscious act of resistance – to refuse to be rushed, to calm oneself down, to ask for less, to focus attention on one person (or situation) at a time, and to stop buying and selling quite so much – this act improves my sense of who I am. I find my identity as a human being, not a resource or product.

The modern world has trained us well. Our society has bent our will towards the wants of those who would treat us as consumers and products alike. But it doesn’t have to be a life lived in the fast-lane, with stress, with demands, with attention starved, and with money spent. It can be otherwise.

We just have to decide what to do with the time that is given us. We also have the responsibility to choose how we live in each moment.

Game on!