Monday 7 March 2011

The boredom syndrome

"I'm bugged with work."

"Facebook is boring"

"T. V. is boring"

"Studying is boring."

"Bathing is boring."

"The day was boring."

My mother always says, "These days everyone is bored with something or the other. I was/am never bored. There was always something to do or think. But these days, though people complain that there is no sufficient time, they still get bored. Quite strange."

The lines uttered by my mother made me think and observe my vocabulary closely. Sometimes even when there is enough work to do, I randomly proclaim: "I am bored." This line is not uttered by me alone but many others who just say "I am bored." While I have never heard such utterances from my grandfather, uncles, aunts and mother, it is quite common to hear them from people in the present day world.

Why do people get bored? Are they genuinely bored or are they just exclaiming the words? While I tend to utter it for situations like valuing examination papers and the like, some choose to add the word 'boring' to almost every single act. Sometimes even life gets boring for people. Now, if life gets boring, what is the best solution? Change life or better still, die? Well, even that has a solution, according to self-help books.



I think the word 'boring' has replaced many other expressions. Being tired, overworked and the like is replaced by the boring syndrome. What has caused this change, I wonder? Is it the worthlessness of today's lifestyle or the plenitude that has caused saturation?

Well, for some blogging has become boring and so has reading posts.

What do you have to say about this sudden shift where everything has become boring?

Image: Internet

45 comments:

  1. Boredom! Stressed! Exhausted! I find these three words in heavy use by many....
    I welcome boredom as it is the perfect time to just be!

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  2. That's funny Susan Deborah, my mom also always says she is never bored! When we were younger we actually didn't get away with saying we were bored at home because the moment we would say it, she would say "Oh you're bored? Alright then I'd like you to run over to mrs. so and so's and see if she needs help cleaning her yard" or something similar. She taught us boredom is a result of thinking only of yourself. If you look around you there is always somebody who needs something and when you focus on others, your boredom lessens.

    My personal view is that we have become too self absorbed. We want everything immediately but when we get it we are bored. We almost have too much selection and too little contentment and peace.

    Interesting topic!

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  3. Boredom is the result of overindulging your time on one thing and forgetting to appreciate the rest of the things around you. Life should always be a balance. I don't think there is such thing as you are bored or I am bored... It is just a matter of opening your eyes to possibilities of filling up your time with things to do that interest you or make you happy. There are various options around but it's your choice that matters.... Thanks Susan for sharing..;)

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  4. for one thing we are an oerstimulated society...our movies have to be in 3D...what is next...everything is made to stimulate us inmultiple ways...so when life bcomes smple we are instantly bored...i think too it can be a product of our own selfish expectations...but i have been bored....

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  5. You're right...there is always something to do. I must say sometimes I see on my facebook feed people complaining of boredom and I feel envious at times...wow..they must have some spare time going for them because I can't even find a minute to myself somedays!

    But then there are times when I feel "bored" and I know really , there are plenty of things that I could be doing. Perhaps instead of saying "bored"..uninspired, burned out...tired but not tired enough to sleep...perhaps those might be better ways of describing the situation!

    Interesting post :)

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  6. Do not know WHY I am never bored. But that IS the truth. Maybe if Peeps who are "bored" would take a bit of a risk, get a little 'sin' into their lives? But that also takes energy.

    I do not, do NOT watch TV (except for Super Bowl!). I think TV is boring. Driving is boring, riding a scooter is not-grin!

    This morning at 7 AM I was the only Peep (out of 84) who walked up to an obviously new guy, freshly sober, shaking, a bit ragged, introduced myself, took him under my wing, so to speak.

    Later today we shall meet for coffee and 'talk'. I feel sometimes so much like a counselor
    but in reality, I'm just a drunk, talking face-to-face with another drunk--as both of us stay sober--well, at least ME!

    So maybe the answer to boredom is to always be aware of what God puts in front of you, take it, and run with it.

    Sorry this was too long, almost a 'blong' (my word, which means a 'long blog'--Blong!) Love-PEACE!

    Susan Deborah, I'm glad to have found YOU in this maze of blogs!

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  7. I think you are so right that we have started using boredom to express other states of being. Very interesting. Sometimes when my students tell me the work I've given them is boring, I can see they really didn't understand it and are covering up their embarrassment.

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  8. Personally I equate boredom with tedium...sometimes we get into the groove of doing the same thing in the same way every time that we no longer see any excitement in it. I have now learnt that maybe I need to be discovering either new stuff or new way of doing things all the time if I want to maintain my sanity. Sometimes I get bored with food, so i try to look for something new that I have never eaten. Also when I got kids I found out that kids are always showing you something interesting, something new...But I agree with you, I think the expression I am bored is used to liberally nowadays. Growing up, I shared the same experience with Colleen above. You told my mum that you are bored, you were sure to find countless tasks lined up for you to do!!

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  9. I know what you mean. Some people have trouble with silence and stillness, they must fill every moment with distraction. I,m hardly ever bored and I'm especially not bored with blogging.

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  10. Wow! I got a chuckle from some of these comments.

    What Colleen said~ My mother used to say the same thing. 'oh, you're bored, well I'll find you something to do.' used the same expression on my kids and every time i did, they would disappear! lol!

    and Steve....Blong?! love it!

    all of these are awesome comments and gives you food for thought and options to try and correct the situation of being bored.

    I experienced it a lot when I was growing up and just recently i experienced it again. Can't imagine why.

    I think that state is telling you that something is out of balance. Great suggestions here to choose from. Perhaps it is the time to try something new

    Great post!
    thank you

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  11. Well, one thing sure, Facebook has made my life boring. Just seeing how exciting other people's statuses, photos, and even work and relationship problems make me feel I have the most boring life.

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  12. When someone is bored a good question could be: What have you done in the last couple of hours? My guess their answer lies in the line of watched tv, computer related, working in an office or had some classes and just listened.

    All these activities can give you the best time but they bring also boredom. Why? Because if you just consume and not doing something actively your body can fall prey to a lack of stimulus.

    One doesn't have to run around all day for the sake of stimulus but one needs to have a feeling of accomplishment. That sense of accomplishment can come from anything that is tangible. Unfortunately our society give us a lot of activities that aren't tangible and so we get bored and depressed.

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  13. Dear Susan, I doubt that we're truly bored when we claim to be bored. For the most part, many of us have busy lives that leave us precious little time for boredom. To be honest, though, I can't even remember the last time I made the statement, "I'm bored." Life is way too interesting for that, it seems. There is too much to do and enjoy... and hate, even... to be bored. Yes, I really think that when we make that statement we're not really thinking before speak. But then, I'm sure there are people out there who are bored with one thing or the other. Maybe the excitement of life for those who find themselves bored actually presents itself through their boredom. If they don't feel bored, after all, they won't be interested when something interesting comes along.

    Ah, I'm rambling. I don't want to write a book, here! But those were my two cents... for what they're worth!

    Wishing you a lovely week, Susan!

    Warm hugs,
    Nevine

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  14. Why do we so often hear the word bore?
    though,to do, we have much more,
    as compared to the days of yore,
    we are unclear of what we abhor or what we adore,
    and for the ennui, this is the core.

    Though I have not commented on a few of your previous posts , I am not definitely bored by your posts.

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  15. Modernisation and self-absorption. ALL my friends get bored so easily. And it is so hard to snap out of it. One of my friends once said that heis bored of being bored! :S Sigh. I tired of that word.

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  16. Hmm.. the only time I utter the word "Bored" is when I am not doing anything different. Otherwise keep my mind engaged, take a break do something different every now and then. So, I have not been too bored. :)

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  17. What an absolutely interesting post, as honestly I do not think ever I have uttered these words!
    I am never ever bored. I can be tired and at times sad or melancholic, incapable to act, but I am never ever bored. Boredom is not something that exists in my perception, as being bored means either there is nothing to do or that whatever one is doing is boring. I have no boring activities; I love to blog and read posts, I love to tend to my house, I love taking walks in nature and I love my work. I love life, thus to be bored must be to be bored with life. To waste even one single minute of it on being bored is simply a total waste.;))
    Many wishes to you on a very non boring day my dear Susan.;))
    xoxo

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  18. these last few days, my dear Susan, I've had a few too many reasons to feel bored... and I have! Only becasue a sprained ankle has forced me to rest and rest, no walks, no walking... More than boredom it's impotence... for who can get bored with all there is to do? And when there is not much or just nothing to do, then we must enjoy it.
    Yes, we get stressed we get tired , but never bored.
    This you've brought up here has helped me realize so much about life and the importance of being grateful for all we have!

    Thanks Susan!

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  19. One person's boring is another's not so boring? It's all relative it seems, what do we really want if right now is boring?

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  20. I never even have the time to ask myself if I'm bored. The word doesn't even exist in my vocabulary.

    I used to hear "I'm bored" mainly from children. Nowadays, however, with all the digital games and online possibilities,there's something for everyone of any age to do, to fill one's spare time.

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  21. Well, doing the same routine things sometimes bores people. And thats why they tend to say "I'm Bored" on almost everything they do. Change is all they expect at that very moment. Like, exploring new places, meeting new people, new job, new home and such gives them a good change. So Breaks and vacations tend to give them that well needed change and rejuvenates them to see the same old routine in an interesting perspective :)

    Cheers,
    Sukanya

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  22. Hi Susan. I'm just responding to your comment about the confusing sentence on my blog. Thanks for pointing that out. I can see that it may have led the reader astray. It's too late for me to change it, but I'll be more alert to such mistakes in the future. Thanks for caring.

    Have a great day!

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  23. I recall saying I'm bored plenty, but not anytime recently. :) I learned my lesson.

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  24. I am never bored. Is that crazy? It helps that I carry a book wherever I go. And that work keeps me busy 20 hours of the day.

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  25. Really interesting! I think our attention span these days has reduced to such an extent that we are unable to stay focused on anything for a long time- hence the desire to move on which we express as boredom!

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  26. I hope you're not bored with blogging. It's been a while since you posted. Wazzup, Sus?

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  27. Oh I agree, Susan. The generations before us never seemed to have used that word. As you say, possibly, we don't have sufficient vocabulary! Like the word 'awesome' - I remember a professor at EFLU telling us she wondered what was so 'awesome' about the lime juice she served a youngster!
    But it's also the fact that we want constant stimulation - any quiet time forces us to reflect and many of us aren't comfortable with that too....

    PS: Why does my word verification word have to pick on me? Motoo!! Bad!

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  28. Savira:

    One can enjoy the "be" moment without boredom. What say, Sav?

    Colleen:

    I guess we both grew up in the same time. It brings a smile to my face when I think that when Collen was a wee kid, Susan was too. That said and done, I think our parents share similar traits.
    But as you mentioned rightly, self absorption is one of the causes of this syndrome.
    Hope you've been well, Colleen.

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  29. Jorie:

    You're right when you say that over indulgence in one thing causes boredom. But why doesn't that happen with reading books, inspite of doing that for a long time? Well, . . .

    Brian:

    Overstimulation is a nice term, Brian and it is so very true. Even I get bored. More often now than when I was younger.

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  30. Jessica M:

    Thanks for your kind words and thoughtful insights. When readers come up with interesting things to say, it enables me to see things in different perspectives :)

    Steve:

    You're such a darling. I am glad that you are never bored. You must be a rare specie of human to say this. Mu mom will sure enjoy your company for she is also never bored.
    Please write loooong comments, dear Steve. I so love them.

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  31. BB:

    You're a teacher too? Glad to know that. What do you teach, dear Betty? Students are eternally bored and it takes a lot to shake their boredom off. Teachers have a great task to undertake, in this day and time.

    OtienoHongo:

    Eventhough our parents did the same things, they were never bored but then why are we?

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  32. Myrna:

    Stillness is difficult for some but Myrna, I can be still but still tend to be bored by certain things. I wonder why?

    Hope:

    I'm glad that you enjoy it here, dear Hope. This is wonderful.Your presence here is welcome and it lights up this place. thanks for your lovely words, Hope.

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  33. Age:

    I second that. FB is sometimes boring.

    Elizabeth:

    What lovely and wise thoughts, Elizabeth. I agree when you say that anything tangible gives a great sense of accomplishment :)

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  34. Nevine:

    Long time. Hope you've been well and happy :)You rambling is very welcome here, dear Nevine. I can never tire of that. Our lives are so governed by a few words which are used to describe almost every emotional stance.

    Govind:

    How glad to see a comment from you! Happy happy. Thanks for the wonderful words. They are always welcome :)

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  35. Mridula:

    I am also quite tired of that word. Now that it's summer, everyone will say it very often :( Sad.

    Sameera:

    You are one wise thing. Bless you.

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  36. Zuzana:

    Zuzana, good for you :) Wonderful that you are never bored. For a person as you, everything becomes interesting. I always think that researchers and the like never ever get bored or restless.

    Dulce:

    Hope you are doing well, dear Dulce and that you can walk and mover around. You are so kind with your words and I so love you for that, dear one :) Get well soon.

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  37. DUTA:

    Good good. Glad.

    Sukanya:

    But routine did exist long before as well. I guess the ability to commit oneself to something is slowly losing ground unlike yester years.

    Myrna:

    :)
    Much love from here :)

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  38. Angie:

    With so much on your hands, I am sure you can never be bored.

    Meera:

    Welcome and thanks for stopping by. Quite right, what you have expressed, Meera. Do come by whenever you feel like.

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  39. Age:

    :)

    Nah. Just a bit busy with things. Thanks for asking after me. It is much appreciated.

    Corinne:

    Awesome is another overused word today. All my students also use it excessively.
    Word verification loves you to bits, Corinne. That is why!

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  40. Well I think we expect quite a lot from life....and when we find out tht there no shortcuts and the journey is long and windy....it becomes boring
    Well thts the way I see it...cos we rarely get bored when on a holiday , lazing around ...reading, movies or whatever

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  41. John:

    Maybe the expectation can be connected to the importance we attach to ourselves. We want everything . . . very fast and if the pace is a bit slow, we wallow in boredom. The modern times is a curse. But I do know some people who even get bored of holidays ;)

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  42. Well, dear Susan, keep us entertained, so we won't get bored.

    Like you said, there's plenty of things to do. And I never fall short of them. So come along and let's have some fun!

    Go read someone's blog if you get bored writing your own. That's my simple solution of boredom if I rarely get any.

    Yawn! Guess, I must call it a day. Good night dear Susan. Let you know just how much I enjoy reading your blog.

    Hope you don't get bored putting up with me. ^_^.

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  43. Inday:

    Wonderful to have you back. Thanks for reading my not-so-recent posts. I'm glad that you never find yourself bored. You are quite resourceful, then. I should learn this from you.

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  44. boredom is a funny phenomena, characterized, in my humble opinion, by people relentlessly pursuing what they perceive to be important rather that which would give them peace and lasting happpiness

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  45. Pitzevans:

    Welcome Pitzevans. Glad to have you here. Your wisdom speaks well. Boredom has become a regular component in peopl'e lives these days.

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