Richard Powers' new novel 'Playground' is filled with awe for the ocean
Sep 30, 2024
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Richard Powers, an acclaimed author known for his environmental themes, discusses his latest novel 'Playground' with NPR correspondent Ari Shapiro. They dive into the awe-inspiring mysteries of the ocean, focusing on the island of Makatea in French Polynesia. Powers reveals how personal experiences, games, and a family gift about coral reefs shaped his narrative. The conversation also touches on the historical transformation of Makatea and the modern allure of 'sea-stating,' highlighting humanity's connection to both play and survival.
Richard Powers highlights how the ocean symbolizes comfort and interconnectedness, emphasizing its role as 99% of Earth's biosphere.
The novel 'Playground' contrasts finite and infinite games, promoting resilience and curiosity as vital for navigating life's challenges.
Deep dives
The Depths of Exploration
The concept of the ocean as both a vast and largely inaccessible space is explored in the context of the new novel 'Playground.' Richard Powers discusses how the ocean signifies not fear but comfort in its enormity, allowing human beings to recognize their small place in the greater ecosystem. The discussion highlights the striking contrast between the limitations of human existence and the expansive, vibrant life that thrives beneath the surface. This perspective invites readers to reflect on their relationship with nature, illustrating that the planet’s vitality is upheld by the oceans, which constitute 99% of Earth’s biosphere.
Games of Evolution
Powers emphasizes the importance of play, both in human interaction and in the natural world, as a central theme in 'Playground.' He contrasts finite games, which are played to win, with infinite games that prioritize continued engagement and exploration. This distinction is used to explore the lives of two friends whose paths diverge, symbolizing the different approaches to life and the challenges they face. By framing life as an infinite game, Powers encourages a mindset of resilience and curiosity, suggesting that awe and wonder are essential states that enable us to navigate changes in our existence.
In Richard Powers' new novel Playground, technology and the environment meet on the island of Makatea in French Polynesia. The book weaves stories together from across decades, but revolves around core themes like awe for the vastness of our oceans and the centrality of play in the story of human survival. In today's episode, Powers talks with NPR's Ari Shapiro about some of the many inspirations behind Playground, including games, a book on coral reefs gifted to him by his sister, and Silicon Valley's obsession with seasteading.
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