Embracing boredom
We are less bored than our ancestors were, but we are more afraid of boredom. We have come to know, or rather to believe, that boredom is not part of the natural lot of man, but can be avoided by a sufficiently vigorous pursuit of excitement. - Bertrand Russel
I haven't written anything in some time, and today I thought that it is as good time as any to get back to it. I'm writing this from Ojców National Park, which is a beautiful part of Poland where we spend late-spring holidays with my wife. For us, it means a week full of hikes, books, and good local food.
I've been thinking a lot about being bored recently. It's obvious that surrounded by technology, we lose our ability to enjoy or even endure boredom. Even writing this paragraph, I'm not sure if I reached for my laptop because I was bored with sitting on the porch doing nothing. We do everything we can to fill time with something useful. Even when you go on a hike people will suggest you should take an audiobook or listen to a podcast, after all you can do so much more instead of just walking. And while you can explain wanting to be present in nature, nobody will understand that you don't want to distract yourself when e.g. waiting at the doctor office or when traveling. The need to squeeze every second from every minute seems ever-present. After all, it's hard to justify being bored. It seems like wasting time, but is it?
For centuries being bored was just part of human existence and many argue that it played a vital role in the development of creativity and imagination. Before the explosion of technology, boredom allowed the mind to wander freely, to daydream, and to think outside the constraints of everyday life. Many great thinkers, writers, and inventors from history often cited their moments of idleness as the birthplace for some of their most innovative ideas.
The philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once said, "Boredom is the root of all evil - the despairing refusal to be oneself." While it may sound counterintuitive, this quote holds an interesting perspective. Is it possible that boredom forces us to face our true selves, the self that exists beneath the noise and distractions of the external world? Our schedules are often so saturated that moments of silence, reflection, and internal exploration are scarce.
When we step away from the bustling world of technology and immerse ourselves in the solitude of boredom, we are likely to encounter the ideas, feelings, and questions that we usually suppress in our daily lives. This can lead to self-discovery, emotional growth, and creative thinking. When we are bored, we are left with nothing but our thoughts and imagination. This solitude and silence can often create a fertile ground for creativity to grow.
In short, we need to relearn how to be bored. We need to unplug, disconnect, and let our minds wander freely. I plan to practice it more while we explore this beautiful part of Poland. Hopefully, I'll be able to bring some of its peacefulness back home.