Boredom is a better experience than being entertained?

Philosophy Forums Philosophy
1

Scenario: A man is locked in a totally dark room for the rest of his life, much like what a prisoner would experience in a Jailhouse “hole” He has no chance of escape, just his inner-monologue. Could this be created as a story that would successfully entertain other people?

I’m guessing you’d say no. No, his emotions, attitudes, thoughts, inner conflict, memories, anticipations, without any visual aid or flashback, would never suffice to entertain. No, there must be ACTION.

Yet, to our prisoner here, this is the story of his life. And every detail of this silent solitude is something he MUST be entertained by, even if that means madness? Now, would that madness be entertaining to the reading public? You see, to him, this is the only story worth telling?

This scenario is based on the fact that people constitute experience as swimming with sharks, rock climbing, sky diving, getting tatoos, ect, but non-action, which makes up most of our lives is not recognized as the prefered experience. There is nothing to be admired about a person in that position. Right?

So, why is boredom to be avoided? What is it about boredom that people despise?

Love to hear any answer on this. If you’d like, use the prisoner scenario to illustrate your point.

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i havent read it but the book “johnny got his gun” is about a man that has no limbs and mostly no senses. it takes place in his mind and is supposedly according to the people i know a very excellent read. so i suppose you could say a lot of interesting things happen when youre not doing anything you just dont relate it to the excitement of visual stimulation.

or you could take the route of another book. catch 22… in which a character purposely bored himself to make it feel like hes lived longer. time flies when youre having fun.

3

read it, and remember that comment as having a big affect on me.

To help people also undestand why I’m asking this, i should explain. I was a security guard, working nights, and I dealt with so much silence and solitude, to the point where I actually wanted more of it. I lost interest in entertainment and I’m wondering how to convey that loss to others, if they actually care?

How do you entertain people with the non-standard expectations of today’s entertainment?

Like Kurt Cobain sang, “Experience ain’t a thing to me.”

4

that is a strange concept. i do enjoy sitting around thinking and i have enjoyed quiet walks at 3 am alone but those dont count as nothing to me really. they were entertaining thoughtful experiences.

do you want to be in a coma?

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maybe not a coma, but do I really want to be distracted from all that might matter to my existence? Do I want to die with a stupid grin on my face, watching some song and dance? Hopefully, not.

6

I just heard a song lyric, “Why scream, when you can lose yourself in the wide screen”

I was throughly entertained by it, as the contradictions continue to swirl inside me.

7

to avoid the illusion that cliches like glitz and glamour actually matter is one thing. to pretentiously think that avoiding cliches matters is another thing. i dont know what makes people happy. i dont think anyone ever will. i see why people see things like speeding to impress girls in fancy shmancy cars as being stupid and pointless. but i think there is an unattainable serenity that people look for when they search for a middle ground.

if thats what youre going for then were pissed at the same shit and i personally dont see any reconciliation in the near future.

8

yeah, I’d love that middle ground you mentioned. Just so happens I’m extreme and the middle ground is hard to hold on to.

Maybe I’ll do what the character in Notes from the underground does and “tend to my funk hole.”

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Is it not Albert Camus’ “The Stranger” like that in the latter part of the novel when Meursault was in prison? I haven’t read the novel, but heard a lecture about that novel.

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“tend to my funk hole” i take it means keep to your own? if thats the case then its safe at the least.

i love how were having this conversation through the concepts of literature. haha its really quite amazing how were communicating whole concepts through mentioning stories. im halfway through a book on how mythology was created for this exact function. when ideas are too complex to be communicated through words you use stories. its … just wow. its cool.

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never read it :slight_smile:

12

I read that book.

You’re both speaking of a scene that occupies not even a quarter of the plot.

There were other scenes prior to that, including a murder scene, that people would consider to be entertaining.

I was speaking of boredom.

You’re missing the point.

nevermind.