Mmastodon CultureArt first seen 22 h ago, last 22 h ago, peak #1
John Locke on play and the abstractions we can deny
Original: “You can deny, if you like, nearly all abstractions: justice, beauty, truth, goodness, mind, God. You can deny seriousne
A quote circulating on Mastodon — attributed to John Locke and discussed by writer Henry Oliver — argues that while you can deny almost any abstraction, including justice, beauty, truth, goodness, mind and God, you cannot deny play. Oliver uses the line to frame Locke as an example of how essential play is, opening a personal reflection about watching his three-year-old son at play.
Why now: Readers are engaging with the quote's claim that play resists denial more than any abstract value, a timely idea in discussions of seriousness and creativity.
Evidence
- “You can deny, if you like, nearly all abstractions: justice, beauty, truth, goodness, mind, God. You can deny seriousness, but not play”*… John Locke ( source ) Henry Oliver on John Locke as an exemplar of the importance of play… One day, when my son was three years old, he… · roughlydaily@roughlydaily.com · 3
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