What does "having fun" mean?

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How do you know if you are having fun?

I spent a couple of days taking white water training. It was physically hard work and I always have a difficult time learning new techniques. But, even though I was exhausted (i.e., trembling hands) and with sore muscles, I felt good at the end of the day.

I was told, this is because "you were having fun."

It didn't feel like fun, but maybe it was. What does having fun feel like?

When you do something that gives you pleasure----either during the activity or afterwards----then you are "enjoying" yourself.

I feel like I enjoy myself "more," usually, if I don't expend too much physical effort-----though there are times when I feel "a sense of accomplishment," hence a good feeling, when I finally tackle a hard job or pick up a new skill that's hard to pick up.

I feel pleasure reading books and conversing with people on WP. I don't like doing things like housework, or doing errands. I do those things because I have to do them. Sometimes, I feel a "sense of accomplishment"--hence, pleasure, after I'm finished the errand or whatever.

I used to feel "pleasure," at times, when I was training for marathons (the "runner's high"); but there were times when running was sheer drudgery for me. I usually felt really good after I finished a hard run, though.

Is enjoying the same as having fun?

I would say they are almost synonymous.

How do you feel when you play your instrument and sing songs?

Aristotle wrote about a sort of "intellectual pleasure"----the pleasure of learning things, even while you're experiencing difficulty learning it.

Aristotle, in essence, believed that if something is "instructive," that it lends itself to feeling pleasure. It would be a broad stroke to call that "fun," though.

I always thought having fun was something others did which was enjoyable, but also effortless. "People" have fun at carnivals, parties, etc. Fun playing music when one is good at it. I guess games are supposed to be fun.

Most of the time, even things I enjoy are still difficult and take effort.

That's true, there is an "effortless" aspect to "fun." "Fun" is probably more "effortless" than a broadened enjoyment.

That makes sense.

You have fun just sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows or something. You enjoy it, but you don't really have "fun," when you read the "Iliad."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmdV3ypR3tA

Ok, Darmok. You are correct. I should be using that mycelial space shuttle in my back yard to join the fleet.

I agree, Mona. I was just giving a sort of “general assessment” of “fun” vis-a-vis “enjoyment.”

When most people talk about fun, they're talking about a feeling. Inside they feel happy and motivated to continue what they're doing because it is so enjoyable. Fun feels like a positive feedback loop based on excitement and positive emotions.

Because it is feelings-based, it can be hard to pin down in concrete terms. Conceptually, I think fun implies a higher level of engagement than just enjoyment. I can enjoy relaxing somewhere comfortable, but that isn't necessarily 'fun'. Fun is usually (but not always) at least a little exciting.

I think a care free attitude is compatible with fun, but not a pre-requisite. Something really hard, but enjoyable and exciting can be a lot of fun. Something dangerous but exciting (such as white water rafting, or rock climbing) can be scary, difficult, but also fun.

I think the reason that fun and care free often go hand in hand, is because the lack of worries or anxiety can enhance enjoyment and more specifically, not detract from it. Having fun while you're care-free is like being better able to run after you take off a pair of shackles.

Fun usually implies enjoyment, plus either excitement or whim.