practice imagination everywhere
One of Mason's thoughts on engagement is how Bonnie, the main child of Toy Story 5, used her imagination to create a story through hands-on play with her physical toys. With how being offline is currently an online trend, you could surely look down on every other child no-lifing the same game, chat, and social media feed on their fictional iPad equivalents. However, I believe those children could tap into the same creative skills that Bonnie practiced, but through their own tools of choice. Much intentional and generative storytelling, communication, and teamwork can arise even within spaces or through processes that others find downright unconscionable. Chances are that you regularly partake in that experience. For example, Joel's takes from On my state in life come to mind:
The other day my mom told me how I always seem to do the same thing after returning from work, getting to my bedroom, using my computer or playing on my Switch or something.
At the same time, she doesn’t know of the great friends I’ve made on the internet. She sees a computer and a keyboard and she misses the connections and the friendships and the learning I’ve already done in the digital realm. She doesn’t understand what a fiction book or a videogame are capable of. It seems like a waste of time.
But then I look at all the cool projects some people have going on, like my online friends building whole communities and platforms, or adding actually new stuff to their websites, or sending letters to each other, and organizing and going to conventions or something.
When have you felt similarly to Joel?