Why are we so bored nowadays?
We are living in a world that is filled with non-stop entertainment. With all there is to stimulate our minds nowadays, doesn’t it seem surprising that any of us are ever bored? Between the internet, Facebook, cable or satellite TV with hundreds of channels, 24-hour shopping, smart phones, email, multiplex movie theaters, video games, and texting, there should never be a dull moment, right?
In spite of endless selection of high-intensity “entertainment” at our beck and call, we have become bored. Nearly 50% of people are bored at home or school, and nearly 70% are bored at work. But why? It’s simple: We are overstimulated! The more entertained we are, the more entertainment we need to feel satisfied. The more we expose our brains with fast-paced, highly-intense, and constantly-changing stimulation, the more and more we need, and the less and less interested we become in lower levels of stimulation. All of this is no different than hardcore drug addicts needing more and more drugs to feel satisfied!
Slower-moving activities, such as reading, sitting in meetings, commuting to work, listening to school lectures, and studying for exams—although necessary for us to be successful in life—have become painfully boring because we have become addicted to more intense and quicker-paced amusements. As a result, the average attention span is only 8 seconds, That’s less than a goldfish!
So, what are the negative results of all this over-stimulation? Besides constant boredom and short attention spans, research indicates that over-stimulation can rewire our brains and lead to overeating, gambling, truancy, antisocial behavior, drug and alcohol abuse, and accidents.
Comments: To find out how to enjoy the actual life around us instead of being sucked into the whirlwind of technology we are too often surrounded by, I highly recommend the book, “Disconnected: Technology Addiction & the Search for Authenticity in Virtual Life” by Nicole Radziwill (ISBN: 1453632271).