New Books in Science, Technology, and Society Peter D. McDonald, "The Impossible Reversal: A History of How We Play" (U Minnesota Press, 2026)
Apr 11, 2026
Peter D. McDonald, an academic and professor studying literature, curriculum, and game design, discusses the cultural history of play. He traces mid-20th-century shifts from Fluxus to SimCity. He outlines four styles of designed play and explores how play moves between resistance and control. He ends with reflections on digital culture and future forms of play.
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From Literature To Fluxus Inspired Game Design
- McDonald describes his path from English lit to game design and Fluxus-inspired alternate reality games.
- Mary Flanagan's Critical Play and Fluxus works inspired his graduate projects and experimental games at the University of Chicago.
Playfulness Is Historically Plural
- Playfulness is plural rather than a single universal instinct.
- Peter D. McDonald contrasts festive play with Fluxus examples like Yoko Ono's all-white chess set to show different cultural meanings of playful acts.
The Impossible Reversal Style Explained
- The impossible reversal style centers on passivity that flips into sudden transformation.
- McDonald traces it from riddles and gambling to mid-20th-century machines like pinball, Rube Goldberg devices, and George Brecht puzzles.
