The quiet alarm: Andreas Elpidorou on the virtues of boredom

Does boredom enrich your life? No, really, we’re serious. Think about it. Philosophy professor Andreas Elpidorou has thought about it a great deal, and he concludes that boredom is necessary and valuable. Read his ideas in this July 2015 essay in Aeon.

Read it here: Elpidorou, "The quiet alarm"

 

1. In regard to boredom, Elpidorou states that “We should give thanks for it—and avoid it like the plague.” What does he mean? Explain Elpidorou’s assertion. Do you agree? Why or why not?
2. Elpidorou draws an extended comparison between physical pain and boredom. How effective is the comparison? How appropriate is it? Why do you think so? Would the essay have been clearer without the comparison? Why or why not?
3. Elpidorou positions his argument in contrast with “Western literary and philosophical canons,” and he mentions the work of several philosophers and scientists. Which of the moves in Chapter 5 of your text can you identify in Elpidorou’s responses to the They Say?
4. Elpidorou praises the emotional benefits of boredom, such as making us more aware of our situation and prompting us into “alternative courses of action.” He even asserts that if an app could be developed to produce the benefits of boredom, people would pay for it. Would you? Why or why not?
5. Elpidorou concludes by proposing that boredom should be paid attention to rather than ignored. He asserts that grabbing your phone to distract yourself is the wrong strategy. Take on this challenge for a day or two. When you find yourself bored—waiting for the bus, perhaps, or in a class—just stop and listen to your thoughts and feelings, letting your attention follow where they take you. Then write an account of your experience that either supports or refutes (or both) Elpidorou’s argument. Use the templates in your text to clearly distinguish your ideas from his.

Comments

[kristin Haddad]

I think we need to understand the importance of boredom in our life today. We rarely ever get bored because there is so much going on in our lives. Television, internet, phone and other electronics are taking over. Even when we sit alone for a minute, we immediately reach for our phones to keep ourselves entertained. We are missing those moments where we can sit and think about things in our life. If there was an app that produced the benefit of boredom, I would definitely pay for it. Boredom is important and we are gradually loosing it.

[Darian Owens]

The professor Andreas Elpidorou said “We should give thanks for it—and avoid it like the plague.”, which was regarding boredom; meaning no one wants to be bored but when it occurs we look for something to do, in others giving us motivation to occupy ourselves. I agree with Professor Elipidoru statement, because being bored does motivate us into something like sleep, exercising, or just going out can all result from being tired of being bored.

[loretta hanna]

I think he means we need to find something to do at all times. If we don't then theres something wrong with us. just like the plague if we didn't go near the person then we would be fine, if we find else something to do then going to the sick person. i agree with him because there are times where boredom is good, and there are times where its not.For some people they need to see someone because they are trying to do something to them when there bored.

[Jeff dotson]

My opinion is we should get a better understand of boredom. It some much stuff we can do to stay from being bored. If people stay more active boredom would be very rare. Even sitting on your phone is entertaining. There's so much technology today to keep us all distracted.

[Christopher Smith]

In regard to boredom, professor Andreas Elpidorou felt as if boredom is important. It's important in the sense of motivation to do something better. Boredom is basically only pleasant when it's beneficial to being productive. When boredom takes place, you have the more authentic, creative mindset. I completely agree with what Elpidorou is saying. The reason why I agree is because when I'm bored I tend to reflect on things I could be doing with my life in that moment.

[Jacob Oberle]

In this passage Andreas Elpidorou said” we should give thanks for boredom but also avoid it like the plague.” I think he means that we should be happy to feel bored because that means we realize that we are not stimulating our minds to there full potential. It’s a signal that means we should do something that we are more interested in. Without boredom we would be doing mindless tasks all day because we wouldn’t feel the need to change it up and do something productive. Over all I agree with him although I hate being bored. I’m glad I can feel it so I can change what I’m doing.

[Cynthia V]

Andreas Elpidorou wrote a blog titled, The Quiet alarm, in it he discusses the uses of boredom one does not recognize. Andreas uses the comparison of pain to boredom, one may not experience it on a regular basis, but will at some point in time. He goes on to explain that just because someone may experience pain, it does not make someone any more prone, and it does not have to happen regularly to know how to avoid it. In the instance of boredom, just because it is experienced does not mean it will be a common re-occurrence. Andreas emphasizes on the ways boredom could otherwise help one reflect on themselves, how to change the situation and find a fulfillment. He explains that boredom, like pain, is necessary to some degree. Finding out what we can do for ourselves to prevent boredom and lessen its reappearances in our lives.
“We should give thanks for it- and avoid it like the plague,” are the exact words he uses to talk about boredom. In saying this he means many people have become subject to boredom, and those who did not were able to learn from it’s severity, becoming more aware to prevent it. Like Andreas’ original comparison of boredom to pain, it only takes a small exposure of pain to know that it is not desired. And it only takes a small amount of pain to completely change someone's actions and awareness to prevent any more exposure. Boredom, for lack of being seen as harmful, is not taken as as serious need for someone to change anything about their routines to avoid it. One is not more prone to boredom than anyone else, but with more exposure one is more likely to find something to replace the boredom. Someone who does not have the luxury of enough free time to get “bored” would not see it that way. Two possibilities could happen: either restlessness to find something paced adequately to their lifestyle, or an embracement, to catch up with themselves from daily negligence.
I agree with this idea to an extent. I agree with Andreas’ idea that boredom is necessary. Boredom sparks creativity in some, or as explained in the blog “ a drive”. For some it is time they are granted to just take a step back from everyday activities and “boredom” , to them, is a break. However, this does not mean that everyone will draw such inspiration from boredom. And its far fetched to make the comparison with pain. Boredom is as inspiration to some as harmless to others. It is not something people outwardly seek to avoid, but certainly something most people are okay with finding an alternative to.

[Joshua Cao]

In the essay, Elpidorou states “We should give thanks for it—and avoid it like the plague.” It is important because that the boredom is functions as an alarm that tells people what they enjoy to do and what is not. In the essay, he believes it will motivate us to seek for pleasure. Therefore, it will help us to change our behavior in order to escape from the boredom. It is our natural instinct to protect our-self from getting hurt by boredom. I agree with his opinion because if we are excited with anything in life, we will have no further demand for our life. In normal people’s life, we always believe in something that can stimulate us. The desire of being exciting motivates us to chase our goal. However, if we get rid of the feeling of boring, we will have no clue that what goals are worthwhile to chase for and what is harmful to us in life. I believe that the worst thing in our life is the absence of consciousness. In the article, the author uses a metaphor that if the sensation of pain is an indication of harm, then the sensation of boredom is an indication that we are engaged in something that is incongruous with our projects. If we do not have feeling, such as no pain, no happiness, no sad, no angry, life is like the walking dead. As a human, since we can feel pain and boredom, our life suddenly become plentiful. Knowing pain and boredom, we are able to what is good and what is bad. As a human being, it should be our gift that we can use our eyes to see, use our ears to hear, use our mouth to taste, use our nose to smell, and use our heart to feel. If you talk to a boy who never had a girlfriend about love, he would not be able to understand what you are saying. A feeling cannot be described using language, this is how we as human different from robots. I still remember in the movie Terminator, the terminator ask the boy why do you cry. The boy answers, because I am a human, and I have emotions.

[Lauren]

Common sense seems to dictate that pain is not a welcome feeling, but the author Andreas Elpidorou, claims that it is an aspect of life that is crucial to our survival. Along with pain being crucial, as is boredom. Pain implements us to move from a situation that is uncomfortable or dangerous, and boredom implements us to move from a stage in life that is uncomfortable or unproductive. Both of these are not awesome parts of life to experience, but propel us forward to grow as individuals. Elpidorou stated, "Sufferers of congenital insensitivity live hard, hazardous, and often tragically short lives.". This quote adds to his point that in order to live fore filled lives, we need these aspect to survive and thrive.

[Josh Goldbeck]

In discussions of boredom, one controversial issue has been that boredom is a good thing. On the one hand they argue that "Friedrich Nietzsche commented on the creative power of boredom and found value in its relationship to art. So did Susan Sontag, who in a brief diary entry suggested that the most interesting art of her time was boring: ‘Jasper Johns is boring. Beckett is boring, Robbe-Grillet is boring. Maybe art has to be boring, now." On the other hand, the author Andreas Elpidorou contends that “We should give thanks for it—and avoid it like the plague." My personal views tend to agree with the author. I am a person who very much banks on getting that feeling of boredom to change what I am doing. I also agree that if possible to avoid boredom at all costs.

[Kyra Renner]

Like any good author, Andreas Elpidorou uses an example to enhance and compare his main argument too. He use of the sensation of pain that entertainer, Edward H Gibson, lacks and puts it side by side with the sensation of boredom. Although, boredom is a undesirable feeling, Elpidorou argues that it is indeed a valued quality in life because of its effect of improving one's life. He advocates that boredom is useful and personally, I agree with his claim.

Scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, quotes on "Living life to the fullest." or "Life's too short." are almost unavoidable. When the situation comes around and you catch yourself becoming bored, the guilt sets in about not being productive. Elpidorou himself writes, "Think of boredom as an internal alarm. When it goes off, it is telling us something. It signals the presence of an unfulfilling situation." The sensation of boredom is in a way, underappreciated. We don't consciously notice the alarm going off, but it pushes us to want to change our actions to become fulfilling. Just as the feeling of pain against our skin changes our actions to be more safe, the feeling of boredom changes us to improve as an individual.

Elpidorou's statement of "We should give thanks for it- and avoid it like the plague" can be interpreted as boredom being a good thing, but in order for it to have it's full effect, we should avoid being bored as much as possible. As he compares boredom to an alarm, it lets us know when were not being productive. When we are experiencing boredom, its a sign that we aren't fulfilling our life. Without that sign, we wouldn't have that clue to inform us that life is falling short of optimal. Now looking at the second half of the quote involving boredom being avoided like the plague, avoiding boredom is another sign towards one's quality of life. If one isn't experiencing boredom, or at least trying their hardest to not experience it, then they will know they are guiding their actions to having a more beneficial soul. Overall, boredom being present or not is a gauge of how dynamic our lives are in the present moment.

[Cynthia Ybarra]

I don't particularly agree with this comparison. From personal experience with severe and chronic pain, boredom is very different from pain. Boredom is a single moment that can be turned around by occupying one's self. Pain is entirely different, for me at least. My pain affects me every single day and never leaves me alone, no matter how much medicine I take. This essay could be much clearer if it had compared boredom to something else. Usually hunger goes hand in hand with boredom. People eat just to take their minds off of boredom. Hunger could have been a better comparison. With pain, people become emotional over what might be happening with their bodies. People become alerted, anxious, nervous, and so on. Boredom just makes me stare off into the sky and think about my day. With pain, it's either I need to go to the hospital for various reasons, I need new medicine, I might need physical therapy again, and so on. Pain and boredom are two separate worlds for me, so I cannot agree with this comparison.

[Mags Butcher]

Rather than simply agreeing or disagreeing with Elpidorou's statement that boredom, like pain is 'an internal alarm' which drives us to take some form of action; it would be more valuable to look at how individuals perceive and react to those alarms. Josh Goldbeck states that he agrees with Elpidorou because boredom motivates him to positive action and he welcomes the sensation. Cynthia Ybarra however disagrees that pain and boredom are similar. She sees her pain as a great motivator but boredom is simply to be experienced and tolerated. To me it would depend on an individual's experiences of both these sensations as to whether the assertion is true. A person who does not feel pain has no internal alarm and therefore cannot connect it to the sensation of boredom. Likewise an individual whose life holds no meaningful stimuli or motivation (otherwise they are in a constant state of boredom) cannot recognise that as a trigger to indulge in more meaningful behaviours. The comparison is not a constant but rather a variant depending on the experience of the individual.

[Malazada]

In the beginning of 'the quiet alarm' professor Elpidorou talks about how boredom has been valued. Then he goes on and compares pain with boredom. His argument is that as much as pain is good(particularly by warning us when something is wrong), so is boredom(by motivating us to find something more interesting to do). In the paragraph ,Elpidorou states tha even though boredom is precious,feeling bored is something that we dont want to experience.

[Rachel Dennison]

Elpidorou states, "We should give thanks for it-and avoid it like the plague." in reference to boredom. It is interesting to think about. If we didn't feel the awkward grasp that boredom put on our lives, we wouldn't have a drive to accomplish anything. There was an old saying I heard once, that said "Idle hands are the devil's playground." I always took it as a reason to stay busy, lest you become bored and got into something you shouldn't have. But maybe we need the boredom, to keep pushing us to do great things, and accomplish more in our lives. I believe that is what the author was trying to say. Thank the boredom for being in our lives to show us that we need to keep busy, and use it to our advantage.

[Corby Svonavec-Latshaw]

"We should give thanks for boredom and avoid it like the plague". I feel like he is saying be happy that we know what boredom is and avoid it at all cost. Meaning we should continually be trying to stimulate our blains to want to learn more. Being bored does not always mean you are sitting with nothing to do. It may me you are doing something, but you just are not interested in what you are doing. I think the comparison between pain and boredom was clear, appropriate, and concise. It gave me the reader a better understanding of what he was trying to explain. No one I know likes pain and I can't think of anyone who enjoys being bored either. I think Elpidorou is using the templates for signaling who is saying what in your own writing. If an APP were made about boredom I can assure you that I would not buy it especially if it was in a "game like" app because I am personally not a gamer. I guess you could say that "gaming" is boring to me. I personally do not think I need to take the time to do the exercise because I already do this as often as I can. I don't mind sitting in a waiting area and when I do I make it a point to put my phone away or just leave it in the car. My brain is always running a million miles a minute. Thinking about what I need to do, what I am doing, or what I have done.

[Kayla Powell]

In the article written by Andreas Elpidorou, he states, "We should give thanks for it - and avoid it like the plague." While reading through this article, I honestly was not sure where Elpidorou was going with it. I initially thought he was saying boredom is good, it helps our body heal from too much stimulation and busyness. However, after reading more and more, I discovered this was not his message. I feel that what Elpidorou was saying was boredom can turn to depression. When boredom strikes, what do you do? You pick up your smart phone, ipad, or the TV remote and nestle away for hours at a time, sometimes with no other contact with the outside world. Is this really putting a stop to your boredom, or is this just postponing it until there isn't anything good to watch or no one is posting anything on facebook. I feel like he is saying, when boredom hits, you need to get up and do something else, do something active, learn something new, etc. If you allow yourself to slip into the black hole of boredom, ever inch and inch you fall, it will be that much harder to pull yourself out of it.
I do agree with Elipidorou statement. If you think about it, what happens to people when summer comes to an end and winter becomes us. Seasonal depression hits us, people become bored, and they allow that boredom to overcome them.

[Lynette Judy]

Andreas Elpidorou wrote a strong statement about boredom, "we should give thanks for it and avoid it like the plague." Is Elpiourou suggesting we should or shouldn't be bored? What is he claiming about the statement, should we avoid it? I do not deny that boredom could potentially be a hazard, but this statement only depends on the boredom situation at hand. Boredom also depends on the person, is the person someone who gets into trouble easily, does this person commit crimes, or does this person deserve a little time to be within their own thoughts? I acknowledge the fact that most should, according to Elpidorou, avoid boredom like the plague. When someone is bored, they may find something that would occupy them that is less than desirable behavior. Contradicting this statement is also acceptable, for some people they need may need some time to be alone, to do nothing but just to be. Today, we live in a world that never stops. I long for a moment where I can just sit and relax and not think of anything, not do anything, just be bored. So, I give thanks to boredom that decides to intervene with my daily chaos; I welcome boredom.

[Josh Maleski]

Elpidorou is saying the boredom is a good thing. Without boredom, we would waste our time doing things we have no desire to do. In the essay the author says that boredom is what alerts us to an unrewarding situation. Without sensing bored, what is to stop a person from staring at a wall for eight hours every day? Our minds need a reprieve from the clutches of mundane situations, and we should be thankful our minds can determine what boredom occurs.

I think it is a great comparison. If I touch a hot soldering iron, I make sure never to do that again. Likewise watching the Twilight movies put me to sleep, I will not be doing that again. Both pain and boredom are unpleasant experiences. The unpleasantness reminds us to not do things again. Therefore I think it is a fair comparison.

"x's assertion that ____ does not fit the facts" Elpidorou is saying that although boredom is looked upon negatively, this is certainly not the case and we should not think this way.

I would not pay for this app. I like to be bored all the time. That way when I do something small, such as going to the store, it feels very exciting and rewarding. I understand where the author is coming from though. If a person could feel bored anytime they wanted, that person would be motivated to accomplish a new task very quickly.

There is a problem with Elpidorou saying we should pay attention to boredom. If I am in class and bored, just thinking and letting my mind flow will not do me any good. If I were to think about sitting on the bench in the sun, I would put my self at a disadvantage of not taking notes. When I pull out my phone, I read things that interest me. I do not do it to ignore my thoughts, I do it so I can learn about new and exciting things.

[Corina Enascut]

According to Elpidorou boredom can be positive and an advantage, boredom can motivate a person into being successful and creative, which I agree. The writer compares pain and boredom, explaining that a person in pain can change their behavior to make positive changes about self or their health and the same with boredom, there are ways a person can became motivated to get rid of the boredom by doing something that advantages them. Elpidorou advises the readers that next time they feel bored, not to cure it with their phones or other electronics but motivate themselves to turn their boredom into something constructive.

[Andrea Wisenre]

1.”We should give thanks for it-and avoid it like the plague.” This means that we should take time to appreciate the moments of silence. Enjoy the present surroundings while enjoying a time that one is responsible for nothing in particular. On the other hand, boredom is a reminder that there is a void in our life that is meant to be filled. Though I concede that boredom is a moment of stillness that we should be thankful for, I still insist that boredom is a state of mind that in todays world should be savored and appreciated.

2. I disagree with Elpidorou belief that boredom can be compared to physical pain because pain is the bodies way of signalling distress to protect it from injury. Boredom is an individules view to a certain situation that one concieves as useless. I think the essay would be clearer if the comparison was not made using the definition of pain is the sense of an uncomfortable sensation. Rather, using pain as an example of an emotional reaction to a situation that is presented would be more realistic.
3. I think the embedded reference noted page 2 allows Elpidorou to refer to the philosophers and scientists perspectives while instilling his train of thought when he states the positive notations that the authors are correct to value boredom. He then goes on to say, wihtout any major interuption that there is nothing particular good about being board.
4. I would not pay for an app to produce the benefits of boredom. I rarely pay for any apps. I enjoy the days that are filled with boredom all on my own. I enjoy sleeping or just being lazy. Maybe because those days are few, i am able enjoy the act of doing absolutely nothing.
5. I experienced sitting a waiting room alone. I was not distracted by a phone. I enjoyed looking around at the office and the staff busily going about there day, taking to note to my presence. I thought about my day what task were ahead of me. I thought about the medical procedure that was about to take place. I agree with Elpidorou’s conclusion tht boredom is necessary and valuable.

[Marina H.]

I believe that Elpidorou is basically saying that we should have a love hate relationship with boredom. We should hate boredom so much that it pushes us to do things that do not bore us and in the end being our motivation to having a better and more fulfilling life. I would have to agree with that statement. I never like being bored so I make plans to go places and see people. It has made me more active and adventurous. It pushes me to be creative. The desire to not be bored makes me a better person. In order to find all this out though, you have to be bored at times, thus the love/hate.

[Brandi Meriwether]

If boredom were an app, I would not pay for it. I am the type of person who does not like to be bored. I like to relax but I would much rather have something to do. I felt that the professor's comparison of boredom and pain was appropriate. it was a comparison that I have never thought of but it made sense to me. Boredom does give us time to think because we are not preoccupied with other things going on in our lives.

[Julian Gore IV]

I agree with Elpidorou because sometimes you have to be bored in order to find something to do . It gets you to thinking about things. The comparison between pain and boredom makes sense to me but could have used a better comparison. I would not pay for an app for boredom. I bought an xbox and sometimes it gets old and the games are the same and I just get bored with them.

[Michael Cadau]

I think that Elpidorou is trying to explain the value of boredom and why it’s important not to ignore the value of boredom. “Boredom is precious, but there’s nothing particularly good about being bored.” To me I get the feeling of optimism and the fact that there are a lot more situations a person can be in rather than being bored, like at war for starters. I believe the message is to give thanks but also avoid the complacency that can come along with being bored. There is some correlation between the mental and physical pains both attributed by boredom and being a human pin cushion so I am somewhere in between agreeing and disagreeing. Although every Sunday while in church I always find myself thinking “if I have to sit here for one more minute, I am going to jump off a bridge.”