Single Idea 9302

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 4. Boredom]

Full Idea

Boredom results from a lack of personal meaning, which is due to the fact that all objects and actions come to us fully encoded, while we (as descendants of Romanticism) insist on a personal meaning.

Gist of Idea

We are bored because everything comes to us fully encoded, and we want personal meaning

Source

Lars Svendsen (A Philosophy of Boredom [2005], Ch.2)

Book Reference

Svendsen,Lars: 'A Philosophy of Boredom' [Reaktion Books 2005], p.31


A Reaction

This idea justifies me categorising Boredom under Existentialism. This is an excellent idea, and perfectly captures the experience of most teenagers, for whom it is impossible to impose a personal meaning on such a vast cultural reality.