I do miss a measure of boredom in my life. I also had a bedroom full of things I created growing up and I loved it. Creation is such an important human act. Nowadays, I reach for my phone not just out of boredom and habit but because I'm tired. It's a quick fix way to connect and be entertained while resting. There is a fine line though between resting and binging which is so easy to cross.
I feel that the loss of boredom is also leading to a decline in creativity. I get so disappointed in myself nowadays because I used to be so creative as a child, writing short stories and poems, but now I find it difficult to even string a sentence together on paper. I think that's why I've downloaded substack; need to take a break from my doomscrolling addiction
this hit home like nothing. the tangibility of boredom during childhood which was devoid of digital depnedancy lies in the fact that back then we could feel the absolute magic of silence— we effortlesly let it to take hold of us. the way it unrolled our imagination and creativity was sensational. the stillness held our being in its zeal. nowadays it's not that we're simply out of touch with our sense of awe, rather we're quick to rebuff the very sign of its reward in disguise of ennui in pursuit of digital dopamine.
this read was such a heartfelt yet insightful reminder to unplug and appreciate the blessing the boredom is. well-articulated 🩵
Love this article. Made me look back to my childhood and realized that my brain definitely has time to relax and process things because of boredom. Now, I always feel exhausted on a mental level and it's probably due to being constantly bombarded by information even before I process what I consumed.
Excellent article. I’m currently coming to the end of two reads – The Brothers Karamazov and The Anxious Generation – and these have brought the content of your piece into sharp relief in their own ways. As a fellow geriatric gen z (1998!), I also have sepia-toned memories of the pre social media life and am glad I emerged relatively unscathed from the smartphone sh*tstorm, but there are no doubt still scars. The Brothers K has been the opposite of instant gratification and made me realise how bad I’ve gotten at patience and perseverance due to the DNF culture of Bookstagram and the latest shiny new thing. There’s value in the discipline of concentrating for so long!
I will defend boredom ‘till the end of my days because why is boredom having such a bad reputation? It’s like we refuse to be “bored” of something because we associate the emotion with negativity, so we have to constantly looking out for stimulations and never try to stop and think about how we feel and what it means anymore.
With that being said, lovely essay! I enjoy reading your point of view very much and it was very nice to have stumbled upon another post about boredom. Thank you!
I would like to add that I personally tend to get agitated without my phone. I knew it wasn't healthy, and yet, the thought of being bored scared me more, than the consequences of my addiction.
another similar article “Let Children Get Bored Again” by Pamela Paul was published by the NYT in 2019! i used it to teach authors’ purpose and argument for freshman in high school! truer now than it was then. this is far more in depth and relatable (i actually thought i was imagining the one direction instagram account and fan fiction parts). i wanna use this piece for my students too!
i super luvv this because i resonate so much, as someone who is born from 2003 i also experienced the transition in the digital world. watching the social dilemma also helped me to be present at all times and remove my attachment from my gadgets
I adore your writing. Also, I completely agree with the sheer horror of realizing I am no longer capable of making any decisions, no matter how small. Decision paralysis is real, thanks for putting a name to the feeling.
So many good insights and beautifully written. I'm a 97 baby--what I've heard called a "cusper." I'll always be grateful that I was quite behind most of my friends when it came to being on social media and online. Probably because I also loved just being in my room, pacing around, sometimes listening to music, my imagination going wild. I didn't have data until I was in university, and that's when my attachment to my phone started--it's absolutely affected my attention span and need for instant gratification and my ability to just sit with my thoughts.
not even kidding when i say that i relate to this so much. every single bit of it, including the carpal tunnels although i have dq’s disease but getting that has forced me to restructure my schedule in a way and make a conscious choice to not use my phone as much. And dare I say that disabling my main ig has genuinely helped with that, like idc about being constantly online anymore or even keeping up-to-date with the ever changing lingo, or the trends and gotta say, it is def such a liberating feeling to just—exist and realise that i actually do have time on me. thank you for sharing this, it genuinely made me look back into my childhood w awe and as a fellow geriatric gen z(2001), it makes me feel like i want to go back to that shift some more aha.
In my childhood I knew absolute boredom. Kids today cannot unless it’s by choice. There is ALWAYS something interesting you can do.
I do miss a measure of boredom in my life. I also had a bedroom full of things I created growing up and I loved it. Creation is such an important human act. Nowadays, I reach for my phone not just out of boredom and habit but because I'm tired. It's a quick fix way to connect and be entertained while resting. There is a fine line though between resting and binging which is so easy to cross.
I feel that the loss of boredom is also leading to a decline in creativity. I get so disappointed in myself nowadays because I used to be so creative as a child, writing short stories and poems, but now I find it difficult to even string a sentence together on paper. I think that's why I've downloaded substack; need to take a break from my doomscrolling addiction
this hit home like nothing. the tangibility of boredom during childhood which was devoid of digital depnedancy lies in the fact that back then we could feel the absolute magic of silence— we effortlesly let it to take hold of us. the way it unrolled our imagination and creativity was sensational. the stillness held our being in its zeal. nowadays it's not that we're simply out of touch with our sense of awe, rather we're quick to rebuff the very sign of its reward in disguise of ennui in pursuit of digital dopamine.
this read was such a heartfelt yet insightful reminder to unplug and appreciate the blessing the boredom is. well-articulated 🩵
Love this article. Made me look back to my childhood and realized that my brain definitely has time to relax and process things because of boredom. Now, I always feel exhausted on a mental level and it's probably due to being constantly bombarded by information even before I process what I consumed.
Excellent article. I’m currently coming to the end of two reads – The Brothers Karamazov and The Anxious Generation – and these have brought the content of your piece into sharp relief in their own ways. As a fellow geriatric gen z (1998!), I also have sepia-toned memories of the pre social media life and am glad I emerged relatively unscathed from the smartphone sh*tstorm, but there are no doubt still scars. The Brothers K has been the opposite of instant gratification and made me realise how bad I’ve gotten at patience and perseverance due to the DNF culture of Bookstagram and the latest shiny new thing. There’s value in the discipline of concentrating for so long!
Thanks for sharing x
I used to wake up early and read Dork Diaries or draw until my parents woke up lol. I miss the feeling of boredom, just lying on my bed, doing nothing
I will defend boredom ‘till the end of my days because why is boredom having such a bad reputation? It’s like we refuse to be “bored” of something because we associate the emotion with negativity, so we have to constantly looking out for stimulations and never try to stop and think about how we feel and what it means anymore.
With that being said, lovely essay! I enjoy reading your point of view very much and it was very nice to have stumbled upon another post about boredom. Thank you!
I would like to add that I personally tend to get agitated without my phone. I knew it wasn't healthy, and yet, the thought of being bored scared me more, than the consequences of my addiction.
another similar article “Let Children Get Bored Again” by Pamela Paul was published by the NYT in 2019! i used it to teach authors’ purpose and argument for freshman in high school! truer now than it was then. this is far more in depth and relatable (i actually thought i was imagining the one direction instagram account and fan fiction parts). i wanna use this piece for my students too!
i super luvv this because i resonate so much, as someone who is born from 2003 i also experienced the transition in the digital world. watching the social dilemma also helped me to be present at all times and remove my attachment from my gadgets
I adore your writing. Also, I completely agree with the sheer horror of realizing I am no longer capable of making any decisions, no matter how small. Decision paralysis is real, thanks for putting a name to the feeling.
Boredom breeds creativity. Whenever I am bored I get the best ideas. Also, loveddd this piece, you are such an amazing writer.
So many good insights and beautifully written. I'm a 97 baby--what I've heard called a "cusper." I'll always be grateful that I was quite behind most of my friends when it came to being on social media and online. Probably because I also loved just being in my room, pacing around, sometimes listening to music, my imagination going wild. I didn't have data until I was in university, and that's when my attachment to my phone started--it's absolutely affected my attention span and need for instant gratification and my ability to just sit with my thoughts.
not even kidding when i say that i relate to this so much. every single bit of it, including the carpal tunnels although i have dq’s disease but getting that has forced me to restructure my schedule in a way and make a conscious choice to not use my phone as much. And dare I say that disabling my main ig has genuinely helped with that, like idc about being constantly online anymore or even keeping up-to-date with the ever changing lingo, or the trends and gotta say, it is def such a liberating feeling to just—exist and realise that i actually do have time on me. thank you for sharing this, it genuinely made me look back into my childhood w awe and as a fellow geriatric gen z(2001), it makes me feel like i want to go back to that shift some more aha.
I think you’re like wise sister anyone would crave to have and this made me travel to my childhood and this is so nice