Playground

What did you think of the relationship between Rafi and Todd? How are they alike? How are they different? Did you take a side in their long-running match? Was reconciliation and forgiveness ever possible?

Author’s craft — Why was the marine biologist story included? What did she pull into the story? What was the most compelling imagery about oceans? Could a movie ever do it justice?

Author’s craft — Why was this Polynesian island chosen as a setting? How is it a refuge? What does it represent about humanity’s relationship with oceans? What does the vote of the island symbolize? Did it make you look different at land use and ocean usage? Did it make you think differently about who should get a vote in a democratic society?

Author’s craft — at what point did you realize the story of Rafi, Todd and Ina and the island and the vote were all being created by an AI tool that Todd had created and “planted” through with his memories? Did the realization that the author is the AI anger or disappoint you? Why would you feel disappointed — this is after-all one big work of fiction anyways?

Todd suffers cognitive decline while creating AI with God-like creation powers and seems to be pursuing the “Common Task.” What do memory, creation, intelligence, and death have in common? Powers says “Death is the mother of beauty.” Where do you see examples of this in the book? If this phrase is true, why would we want to overcome death?

How does the emergence of deep seek and its logo of the whale make you think about deep learning and deep oceans?

How does the creation and work of DOGE make you feel about the value of work on society’s behalf? Does Todd remind you of Elon Musk or of other tech billionaires and if so, does that make you more sympathetic to them or less?

What will destroy humanity first: AI or Climate Change? Did you leave this book feeling we are doomed or feeling hopeful for human’s future? Can philanthropy and projects from the super-rich make the world a better place or are they in fact just accelerating our doom from ai and climate change?

What different types of “intelligence” show in the book? Think of humans, think of marine life, think of artificial intelligence.

What makes humans human? Is it intelligence? Is it emotions — love, friendship, forgiveness, delight? Is it creativity? Is it art? Is it our curiosity? Is it our ability to play?

The title of the book is Playground and we see the term play coming up many times: as a manta ray plays hide and seek with a diver, as two friends play chess and go, as three friends attend a Shakesperean play, as islanders play ball games, as enemies play out bitter feuds. What does play have to do with learning and intelligence? Did the book make you want to “play” more or appreciate forms of play?

Did the novel pique your interest in oceans and sea-creatures? In what way will you engage with oceans differently after reading this?

The novel ends with Todd sailing on his yacht named the “Children of Men” and a eulogy for him with that as a line in a poem. The poem is about God’s creation, which often feels akin to Todd’s creation of AI, but in the end, after creation he is finding delight playing with the Children of Men. In the end of the novel this computer genius seemed most to want to be with his friends. Do you find that true at your work? At your book club? What does interaction, especially in the same physical space, face-to-face, bring to our lives? Do you delight in playing with the Children of Men? Is there hope for us as humanity to continue to play and delight in each other?