The unbearable emptiness of being - The meanings of boredom in everyday life

Abstract

Almost everyone has been bored at some point in his or her life. But for a mood that is as familiar and ubiquitous as boredom, very little has been written on it. This thesis focuses on a virulent type of boredom a?? chronic boredom. Chronic boredom is characterized by a perceived lack of meaning in a situation or in onea??s circumstance. This translates into a pervasive lack of interest in the present activity or situation. The meanings of boredom are embedded in everyday social practices, and do not just exist on the level of individual psychology. These meanings illuminate the bored individuala??s relations with himself/herself and with the social world. In the experience of chronic boredom, the issue of meaninglessness in onea??s life is often dredged up. Thus, the existential implications of boredom lie in its ability to place one in a position to question the meaning of onea??s life.