What is Type 2 fun?
Recently I came across the term “type 2 fun” (I’ll explain shortly) and have found it to be immensely useful in understanding some experiences I’ve had and the drive to seek or avoid them. Since learning about this I’ve been having conversations with friends (some have sparked quite a lot of debate) and doing research to see what other classifications of fun there may be. With the knowledge of these additional types, the word “fun” takes on a less binary meaning and a more philosophical meaning.
I’ve started to use these descriptors in conversation and so I wanted to write a post about them. Also I wanted to clarify them in my mind (as I’ve been pondering them for a while) so writing them here was a way to do that.
Type 1 fun (fun whilst experiencing it)
This is the most straightforward type of fun, and the kind that most people classify as fun because when you’re experiencing it, it’s fun.
It’s “live” fun. Enjoyable at the time and enjoyable looking back on it.
Examples might include: a day at a waterpark; going to a comedy show; hanging out with friends, hi-jinks and shenanigans.
Type 2 fun (fun after the experience)
Type 2 fun is where something is not enjoyable whilst you’re experiencing it, but after it’s finished are you able to look back on it as fun.
These kinds of experiences are often mentally or physically challenging things. Where we have to “fight” through something to reach the finish line. Often one may set out in search of type 1 fun and find themselves in type 2 fun territory because of changing circumstances.
For example, you set out to do a challenging hike but very early on weather conditions change. Now you’re being battered by wind and rain. Nevertheless you push through and finish the hike, now cold, wet, covered in mud, etc. The whole experience was thoroughly not enjoyable but you have an intense feeling of achievement and accomplishment afterwards and looking back at the challenge you say to yourself “that was fun, I’m glad we did that”. It’s about situations where you push yourself outside of your comfort zone (or end up there accidentally) and find joy from completing it. And even though you say to yourself “never again”, you’d still probably do it again.
For the more mentally challenging stuff, think of something that might be nerve-racking, high stakes. Let’s say you push hard on a project for a client; the experience of doing the work and presenting it may be thoroughly not enjoyable. But after finishing it you may be able to say “that was fun” followed shortly by “I need a drink” to celebrate. The tough work you can look back on and laugh about with your colleagues.
One of the keys to type 2 is that it never crosses the line of being challenging to life threatening.
Experience is mentally or physically challenging or unpleasant —> accomplishment and rewarding afterwards = type 2 fun.
(This sketch by Aunty Donna on boardgames is a great example of type 2 fun with payoff at the end of something difficult, new, frustrating)
Type 3 fun (not fun during or after)
If you’ve ever read anything about Ernest Shackleton and the expedition of the Endurance then you can probably guess what type 3 fun is.
Type 3 fun is simply not fun whilst you’re doing it and it’s not fun after the fact either. Much like type 2 fun, it often begins in the search for type 1 fun, but goes way too far to be type 2 fun. It’s the kind of scenario where when you say “never again’ you really, really, mean it.
Examples of this might be situations you’ve gotten into that are genuinely life threatening (on the brink of death kinda situations), or times that are incredibly embarrassing, stupid and regretful. The event itself cannot be looked back on as something fun and it gives you the feeling of “I need a drink” once it’s over so that you can forget (not celebrate, like in type 2).
Type 4 fun (the reverse of type 2)
This type of fun is more classifiable as a kind of regret. It’s where you have fun at the time, but can’t look back on it as fun due to the experience being tainted somehow.
Think of as like going out and getting super drunk and having a great time with your friends (at the moment of the experience - type 1) but looking back on it with huge regret (doing something embarrassing) or being super hungover, thereby balancing out the fun of last night with misery of dealing said regret / hangover.
Other things that probably fall into this category would be gambling, bullying, one night stands, street food that feels good on the way in and bad on the way out, staying up way too late watching Netflix because you’re hooked on a show but have to get up early in the morning.
Edge case - type 1.25 fun
This type of fun is fun when it’s happening, but is somehow more enjoyable after. It’s great in the moment but even more so after the thing has finished, making looking back at it some kind of supercharged vector of joy.
Edge case - type 1.5 fun
This type of fun is where you seek it actively out as type 1 fun (knowing that there’s still going to be challenges to it).
An example of this might be surfing. You’re going to spend 90% or more of your time getting beaten up by the waves (not fun), but that 10% or so of time where you’re riding the waves (super fun). This is a kind of halfway mark between the two as it always requires effort and challenge, but you’re not in a situation where there is no fun at all during the experience.
It’s worth remembering that in this example if weather conditions change for the worse, it could become a type 2 fun experience, or even type 3 if you get into serious trouble. So all types of fun have the ability to shift and change between their states of being.
Edge case - TYPE 3.5 fun
So the question is “where is the fun in type 3 fun?”
This is where type 3.5 fun comes in. When there is a fun story that you can make from type 3 fun. No way did you enjoy it, no way would you look back at it as fun, but you sure can make a great story out of it whilst you’re having a beer with your mates (or maybe they’ll make the story out of it). At this juncture type 3 fun does somewhat come full circle to blur lines with type 1 fun. But you’ll find there are definitely levels to type 3’s post fun offerings.
Edge Case - Type 4.5 Fun
This is where something goes from your standard type 4 to something that acts more like an addiction. You go from seeking out the enjoyment and then regretting it, to needing the “enjoyment” but always regretting and resenting it both at the time and after.
The word fun was written 58 times in this post…
