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We have not won the war on boredom. At best we have won the war on idleness, which is only a lite version of it. If anything, these kill-time gadgets exacerbate
by reinhardt 15y ago
We have not won the war on boredom. At best we have won the war on idleness, which is only a lite version of it. If anything, these kill-time gadgets exacerbate the deep boredom problem, what Pessoa calls tedium:
Tedium is not the disease of being bored because
there’s nothing to do, but the more serious disease of
feeling that there’s nothing worth doing. This means that
the more there is to do, the more tedium one will feel.
I can totally relate to this quote and attest to the ineffectiveness or even negative effect most tech toys have in alleviating my chronic diminished motivation and under-functioning reward system.
- hugh3 15y agoThat's well put. The internet provides us with a vast pool of borderline-interesting activities, and almost nothing of actual interest. This comment was borderline-interesting for me to write. I hope it was borderline-interesting for you to read as well.
- reinhardt 15y agoThank you, your comment was borderline-interesting to upvote.
- nazgulnarsil 15y ago"and almost nothing of actual interest." I disagree strongly. More and more AAA content in accessible form is coming online every month. People are just apathetic because they don't value things they can obtain for free.
- AltIvan 15y agoWhy people gave you upvotes? You clearly stated that your reward system is not working.
- reinhardt 15y agoIncidentally, another article on the topic just came in: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/opinion/sunday/the-thrill-of-boredom.html http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/opinion/sunday/the-thrill-...
- Vivtek 15y agoI have never felt tedium. My usual recommendation is to have a child. You will instantaneously have a great number of things you don't have time for, which are all clearly worth doing. Zero tedium!
- benihana 15y agoGreat recommendation. Bored with your life? HAVE KIDS! Listen to this man.
- olliesaunders 15y agoOne source of single mothers is the young women that want children because they feel that no-one loves them but a child would. Can’t remember where I heard this.
- benihana 15y agotl;dr: Time to masturbate.