访谈录 2008-08-06&08-08 人们玩吧玩吧不是罪（在线收听）

And finally from us , everyone likes to have fun, even serious journalist like our Bill Blakemore and for this week's Nature's Edge Notebook, Bill talks to a respected scientist who has  discovered that playtime is critically important for all species.

Ok, look, it’s the middle of summer and I’m going on vocation tomorrow. And to be honest, I don't feel like doing any serious reporting today but like goofing off and getting playful like probably half the people here in the city, and since we always do Nature’s Edge stories outside, all I know is I want today’s story whatever it is, to be from that fun helium balloon, which has showed up  here in Central Park for summer time amusement.

And it occurred to me that rather than feeling guilty about wanting to be playful, that is the story, and I should call up a psychologist we just learned of, Doctor Stuart Brown who does a serious thinking in a tree house over in California, and who has just written a book about the vital importance of remaining playful at all ages, so let’s call him up.

Hello?

Hello, Doctor Brown?

That’s me .

Are you in your tree house?

I'm in my tree house.

Well, we are in the balloon high above Central Park. And I was feeling very guilty about wanting to be playful rather than do a serious news report. What’s wrong with me?

You get play deficit for one thing, just like sleep deficit so that’s why you’re eager to get on  the road, and once you get on the road, you’d better do what you really want to do which just comes from within yourself and it’s voluntary. So you play. Playing is hard-wired genetically and it certainly fosters a lot of good things happening in the brain. Those said who don't play a lot, maybe very successful, but they are often compulsive , they have a narrow repertoire of responses to stress,  are often dogged in their pursuit of a goal and if you look more closely, you have a smoldering mild chronic depression .

We are designed to play a whole life time and if you don't, you’re in trouble, Bill, I mean that’s just common sense

 Doctor Brown, thanks very much for talking to us. aha,Bye bye.

This is Bill Blakemore ABC News heading to a vocation from high above  Central Park; oh look at that over there, what is that green stuff. Can we go over there?