The idea behind push is that a system should make decisions about how to create or increase "fun" and push content, experience, etc. onto the user. For example, when watching a movie, the screenwriter and director have made decisions about what will be enjoyable to watch and the watcher has no say (except to stop watching). A system that generates individualized, customized content is also pushing onto the user, but at least the system is making an educated guess about what will be well received.

The idea behind pull is that the user knows best what will be fun and should ask for it. Pull also occurs through end-user authoring, where the user is the creator and the system the facilitator of the creation.