Spell It: The irresistible appeal of Type II fun
We learn that experiences that are challenging without being dangerous hold great appeal
Type I, II or III… where do you fall on the ‘Fun Scale’?
Click start to play today’s Spell It, where we find that if we can handle a little ‘inconvenience’, we can open ourselves up to memorable experiences.
Can you quantify the amount of fun you’re having? Outdoor enthusiasts say you can, through the Fun Scale. According to a March 2022 report in the US-based news website The Washington Post, Type I fun is the kind that’s enjoyable while it’s happening – dinner with friends, for instance, or going to the beach.
Type III, on the other hand, is not fun at all and can be harrowing and dangerous, often leading to the retrospective thought, “What in the world was I doing?”. Examples include trying to swim across the Atlantic or surviving in the wilderness. It often involves search-and-rescue missions, prayers, and vows that you’ll never do it again.
In the middle is Type II fun – one that’s rapidly growing in popularity, according to The Washington Post report. It’s the kind of fun that can feel terrible while you’re doing it, but makes for great storytelling afterwards. Running a marathon, for instance, or climbing a mountain, or writing a book, are examples of Type II fun. When the activity is over, you tend to forget the miserable parts and consider it as something you’d do again, if granted the opportunity.
But what makes Type II fun so compelling?
The appeal, according to the report, is that such activities are challenging without being dangerous, and make you uncomfortable in ways that also make you feel alive.
Although the Fun Scale is based on mountaineering lingo, and was coined in 1985 by American geology professor Rainer Newberry at the University of Alaska, it’s by no means a scientific study of recreation. Still, even today, climbers use Fun Scale terminology frequently. It helps people who love spending time outdoors instantly understand how easy, difficult or fun activities are, when they are described as Type I, Type II and so on.
Which kinds of activities are you most interested in? Play today’s Spell It and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.