THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF”FUN

ABSTRACT People use the term “fun” to describe various of their experiences in everyday life. While the idea of fun appears on the surface to be trivial, a closer examination suggests it is socially constructed and experienced, and, moreover, depends on a certain material and psychological well-being. Simmel's work, particularly sociability, provides the theoretical basis for this paper. A sociological theory of fun as one important kind of qualitative life experience is developed. There are six preconditions of fun: 1) fun is an activity done in an active, participatory manner; 2) there is a sense of total involvement; 3) individuals having fun develop reciprocal, positive affective attachment to the other(s); 4) individuals develop a sense of contributing with others in creating and maintaining the social act; 5) equality in social skill is established between the participants within the activity; 6) participants have a sense of freedom of choice. Spoiling out fun are four obstacles to its emergence as a constructed social reality: 1) a participant becomes a bystander; instead of being a unique individual within the setting, the individual gets a sense that others do not care he/she is there. A role is being fulfilled; 2) participants do not interact spontaneously, interacting in a cautious manner, without openness; 3) inequalities from other settings are introduced, destroying equality; 4) individual fatigue, prop breakdown.