Justin Pierce
Killing Time: Boredom in the Modern Era
What is nothingness in a world where everything is at our fingertips? As society continues to evolve into a consumption-based framework, we make less time for moments of pause. Scared of the questions we ask ourselves in silence or the feeling of unproductivity we face during leisure, society has effectively killed boredom, or at least tried to. Despite how easy it is to avoid, boredom today is on the rise. However, what we face is far from the ‘profound boredom’ of the past. Boredom’s role in society has shifted from the motivating factor it once was and into a means of defense against the constant and ever-present flow of information and impressions in the digital cyberspace we live in. With neither time nor courage to be bored, our sense of self becomes less authentic, we become less patient, and lose our empathy. Our modern world makes no space for pause, effectively fast-forwarding us towards death.
WATCH HERE
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What is nothingness in a world where everything is at our fingertips? As society continues to evolve into a consumption-based framework, we make less time for moments of pause. Scared of the questions we ask ourselves in silence or the feeling of unproductivity we face during leisure, society has effectively killed boredom, or at least tried to. Despite how easy it is to avoid, boredom today is on the rise. However, what we face is far from the ‘profound boredom’ of the past. Boredom’s role in society has shifted from the motivating factor it once was and into a means of defense against the constant and ever-present flow of information and impressions in the digital cyberspace we live in. With neither time nor courage to be bored, our sense of self becomes less authentic, we become less patient, and lose our empathy. Our modern world makes no space for pause, effectively fast-forwarding us towards death.
WATCH HERE
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