Ilinx is a kind of

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

, described by sociologist

Roger Caillois Roger Caillois (; 3 March 1913 – 21 December 1978) was a French intellectual and prolific writer whose original work brought together literary criticism, sociology, poetry, ludology and philosophy by focusing on very diverse subjects such as ...

, a major figure in

game studies A game is a structured type of play usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or video games) or art ...

. Ilinx creates a temporary disruption of perception, as with

vertigo Vertigo is a condition in which a person has the sensation that they are moving, or that objects around them are moving, when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. It may be associated with nausea, vomiting, perspira ...

, dizziness, or disorienting changes in direction of movement.

Conceptual development

Caillois developed the concept of ilinx. Caillois identified several categories of play in ''Les Jeux et Les Hommes'' (English title: '' Man, Play, and Games'') Among these is ilinx, which describes the playfully altered perception or "voluptuous panic" resulting when a person subjects themself to abrupt "spasm, seizure, or shock which destroys reality with sovereign business." Caillois's other categories, which should be considered alongside ilinx as any form of play rarely fits wholly and discretely into one category, are

agon () is the Greek personification for a conflict, struggle or contest, describing a concept of the same name. This could be a contest in athletics, in chariot or horse racing, or in music or literature at a public festival in ancient Greece. i ...

, (competition), alea (chance) and

mimesis Mimesis (; , ''mīmēsis'') is a term used in literary criticism and philosophy that carries a wide range of meanings, including '' imitatio'', imitation, similarity, receptivity, representation, mimicry, the act of expression, the act of ...

mimicry In evolutionary biology, mimicry is an evolved resemblance between an organism and another object, often an organism of another species. Mimicry may evolve between different species, or between individuals of the same species. In the simples ...

").

Examples

Caillois uses the ilinx to describe the objective of a child who spins around in a circle to become dizzy.

Bungee jumping Bungee jumping (), also spelled bungy jumping, is an activity that involves a person jumping from a great height while connected to a large elastic cord. The launching pad is usually erected on a tall structure such as a building or crane, a ...

is an example of the experience of ilinx.

External links

Homepage of ilinx. Berlin Journal for Cultural History and Theory

References

{{Reflist Play (activity)