UUUUUUGGGGGHHHH SOOOOO BOREDDDDDDD
My mom always said, "People who are bored, are boring people," and whether or not you
agree with my old lady as to the SOURCE of boredom, you know you want to avoid it.
If you're SOMEHOW unfamiliar, boredom, or ennui, is a feeling of listlessness.
An emotional state where you're uninterested in your surroundings and generally unoccupied.
If that seems vague, it's because there's not a true scientific definition!
It was first described in 1852, so it's a relatively recent cultural phenomenon, and
new science says it might be a dangerous one.
Research into boredom has found two types of people are especially susceptible to boredom.
First, people who are thrill-seekers, people for whom the day-to-day just doesn't seem
to jazz them enough.
These people find the world, "chronically under-stimulating," writes the Guardian.
The other group are those who shut themselves off from the world due to fear or trauma.
They live in their comfort zone, which turns out to be a pretty boring place.
In the end, a South African study, found boredom was the single largest contributor to the
use of drugs, alcohol and cannabis.
Another study found when people were left in a room alone without entertainment, they'd
willingly push a button they KNEW would deliver a mild electric shock, just for something
to do.
A third longitudinal study (my favorite), followed middle-aged civil servants in the
UK for 10 years, and found those who were likely to get bored, correlated with a significant
increase in the risk of mortality!
Now, we're not saying boredom KILLS, but scientists are saying, crushing boredom seems to force
humankind to deal with it, even when doing so might be harmful.
This seems sort of, counter-evolutionary, right?
Why would we evolve something which causes us to die sooner, start smoking or drinking
for no reason, or perform risky thrill-seeking behaviors?
Well, Evolutionary Psychologists believe it has to do with curiosity.
*Curiosity is the cure to boredom.* That curiosity moved us off the drudgery of the everyday
and into trying new things, it kept us alive and stimulated our brains!
That curiosity is reflected in the saying, "curiosity killed the cat," sure we might
come to harm, but our pushing might make us better too!
Studies done with people who are encouraged into ennui, end up finding vast creative resources.
Being constantly entertained and stimulated isn't good for the brain, any more than a
lack of activity would be.
Boredom, or a lull in stimulation, might seem terrible to start, but it's actually fantastically
mentally beneficial.
In a British study, people encouraged into ennui while in the lab, were given menial
tasks.
Half were told they had to copy numbers out of a telephone book -- UGH -- and then had
to think of things to do with two styrofoam cups -- HMM -- the other half just got the
cups.
Those who were asked to copy numbers first, were way more creative!
Boredom allows for mind-wandering and daydreaming!
It allows us to organize our thoughts, dwell and mull.
Boredom is like anything, too much of a good thing can lead us to take unnecessary risk,
but without boredom we'd all just be boring people.
Looks like my Mom was wrong, but only a bit.
Sometimes I'll turn off my music and just people-watch on the train, or put down my
book and look at the clouds.
You be surprised what your brain comes up with!
Do you ever try just… being bored?