El jugar es cosas de grandes | Leandro González Barbero | TEDxEsquel

Quick Overview

Leandro González Barbero argues that adults should stop abandoning play, emphasizing that the joy, creativity, enthusiasm, and commitment experienced during childhood games—using simple materials like cardboard, elastic, or paper—are essential for adult life and professional success, and should be recovered.

Key Points: The speaker asserts that playing is something adults should resume, stating, "El jugar es cosa de grandes" (Playing is something for adults) (0:08, 13:16). He recalls childhood games involved simple materials like cardboard, elastic, paper, dice, and plastic bottles, which fostered creativity and spontaneity (1:09, 5:06). When returning to work (as an accountant) at age 15, he realized the absence of play made work feel serious and lacking enjoyment (2:36, 3:33). He suggests that adults need to recover the essence of play—creativity, enthusiasm, commitment, confidence, and communication skills—which are learned naturally through games (5:33, 7:07). The speaker recounts a story where colleagues at an accounting firm were playing games (like cards) instead of working, highlighting that play can occur even in professional settings (2:55, 5:05). He concludes that playing as an adult is important for recovering essential qualities like creativity and enthusiasm, which are crucial for professional life (7:49, 8:08).

Context: Leandro González Barbero presents his TEDxEsquel talk outdoors in a scenic grassy field dotted with yellow flowers, backed by a large lake and rugged, snow-capped mountains. His central thesis revolves around the idea that adults neglect play, which they enjoyed immensely in childhood, and that recapturing this playful spirit is vital for maintaining creativity, enthusiasm, and effectiveness in adult professional life.

Detailed Analysis

Leandro González Barbero opens his talk by challenging the notion that play is only for children, proclaiming that "playing is something for adults." He contrasts his childhood, where he spent hours playing games with his brother and friends using simple objects like cardboard, elastic, paper, and dice, with his adult life starting at age 15 when he began working as an accountant. This transition meant sacrificing play for seriousness and productivity, leading to a feeling that life lacked joy. He recounts an anecdote where he saw his colleagues at the accounting firm playing games like cards and building things with plastic bottles, realizing that play still existed but often needed to be deliberately integrated. He argues that the qualities developed through play in childhood—such as creativity, enthusiasm, commitment, confidence, and communication—are exactly what adults need to succeed professionally and avoid burnout. He emphasizes that whether one is a leader, an architect, or a teacher, the ability to approach tasks with engagement and a sense of exploration, rather than just duty, is crucial. He urges the audience to consciously bring this playful essence back into their adult responsibilities and environments to maintain vitality and effectiveness.