Boredom Doesn't Exist

Boredom doesn't exist.

Let me elaborate. In my Philosophy of the Human Person class, we had a discussion about something we called the "boredom delusion." Bored/Boredom were words that did not exist until more recent times. From what I can tell from my research, Charles Dickens was possibly the first person to use it in writing, which would be around 1852.

What does this mean for us? Boredom is a fairly new development; it's a little over 160 years old. What is boredom? According to the Oxford Dictionaries, Bored means the following: "Feeling weary and impatient because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one’s current activity."

While I agree that people do experience boredom from time to time, I would like to propose that we cause ourselves to be bored. We live in a culture where we are constantly surrounded by technology, movies, sports, and a go-go-go attitude. Therefore when there is silence and time to actually think or be productive, we deem ourselves to be bored.

Boredom is often simply an excuse to avoid responsibility. My professor said the following statement in class: "It [boredom] exists for people who don't want to do what they have to do and want to do what they want." Think about it. When I was little I would go to my mom and tell her I was bored. She always assured me that she could give me something to do (usually a chore). I immediately left the room and found something to keep me busy. Suddenly I wasn't bored anymore.

Boredom is also a sign that you have a lack of meaning in your life. If you constantly sit around on your computer or cellphone and don't go out and do productive, meaningful things, you're likely to find yourself in a state of boredom. And whose fault is that?

When you give in to boredom and give up on searching for meaning in your life, you'll find yourself searching for something to fill up your life. This can lead to consumerism (shopping because you're bored....anyone, ladies?), improper use of technology (hours and hours on facebook or video games), and just generally missing out on the opportunities that life offers you.

As I was searching for quotes to share in this post, I came across this powerful one:

"Life is never boring but some people choose to be bored. The concept of boredom entails an inability to use up present moments in a personally fulfilling way. Boredom is a choice; something you visit upon yourself, and it is another of those self-defeating items that you can eliminate from your life." - Wayne W. Dyer

How do we solve this problem of boredom? I propose we get off of our computers, couches, beds, and search for meaning in our lives. Do a kind deed for someone else. Go out for coffee with a friend. Invest your time in something worthwhile that will last longer than a 5minute youtube video.

Remember, boredom doesn't exist unless we let it.