12.19.2005

On Boredom (plus reply and reply to reply)

ORIGINAL POST:

"The life of the creative [person] is lead, directed and controlled by boredom. Avoiding boredom is one of our most important purposes."

-Susan Sontag

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom."

-Thomas Carlyle


REPLY (from Berkeley):

Interesting that you post those quotes about boredom. Just last night I was thinking about boredom.

I think people who complain that life was better when they were kids forget the crushing boredom that came along with being a kid. I'm not complaining about my childhood. It was plenty fine, but it doesn't compare to being an adult.

Now, I'll admit that I'm lucky when it comes to what I have and don't have as an adult. But here is a small list of things that are better about being and adult, all of which go along way toward fending off boredom.

-I can have sex
-I can get stoned
(I don't really need to go on, but I will)
-I can drive around
-I can walk around
-I can go away
-I can go get a steak or mashed potatoes or ice cream

Basically, I control my own schedule and activities. Oh, and I have money to do stuff.

That's what's better about being an adult. Not so much suffocating boredom.


REPLY TO REPLY:

Yeah, agreed. I can do anything I damn well please. Life's not as big of a mystery as many people make it out to be. With a little control, you can have a whole lot of fun. Plus, as an adult I can listen to music with warning labels.