The World Is Inherently Boring I've always been a thinking person. I'd much rather sit alone in a room reading some philosophical book from Nietzche than being in a room full of people disscussing "Important" events. I genuinely try to like things I couldn't care less about. But I failed, and instead faked some interest in the subject just for the sake of being "socially" correct. If, for example, we we're discussing criminal rates and I was asked about it, my answer would probably a mix of the previous answers I unconciously picked up, plus some gratuitous and should-be-obvious statement (eg: "I'm concerned about the growing rates of murder") instead of really thinking another answer. And, the worst part, is that these suffice. One would think that people would require a more thought-up statement and development of the question. Tsk, tsk, I'm getting off-tracks. When I think about reality I often find that it is, and probably will eber be, inherently boring. I often ponder the metaphysical but I find that an absolute god, heaven and/or may or may not exist. But I don't care about the metaphysical. It's impossible to prove, so I simply find it uninteresting. And so I find anyone who attempts to prove god doesn't or does exist. I simply do not care. Thinking about unprovable things would be interesting in some context, but I just can't find it. Neither can I find interesting things like the Olympics. It's good to know just /how/ fast a human can run or swim but I don't understand all the fanatism. Probably 50.000 people at each stadium watching some exceptional people swim or run very quickly, but I just wouldn't find it interesting. Same thing for most subjects at your regular school. I find biology good to know, but I don't find it interesting enough to research or read about it outside studying. I find it sad that Philosophy is a diying course. It's such an intersting thing to think about. Except when you get to existencialism, I don't care if humans were meant to be or were simply an accident. The result it's the same. I don't find the world interesting. Animals are just that. Their inner workings, though good to know and probably should be general knowledge, is just not very compelling. I find classic art (such as paintings, sculptures and architecture [is it an art, really?]) to be a display of a massive ammount of skill, but that still doesn't interest me. I look at paintings,wonder what the authors were trying to convey, and move on. This is where writing comes in. I find that the communication of non-trivial information via writting (typed or not is irrelevant) to be the most important thing ever invented. I love reading. I read about philosophy, probability, and other abstract and interesting subjects. But reading these (and having no one to disscuss them with), I get more and more... uninterested in this world of ours. Thinking that reality is as boring as these doesn't depress me. Rather, it annoys me. Why is our reality less interesting than the one presented in Lord of the Rings, the one in Final Fantasy or the one in Incarnations of Immortality ? Our reality is bound by the laws of physics (which I value a lot), time and probability. It is possible that at any given moment the sun may turn into the gigantic head of a cat, that an ice cube in the glass of some kid in New Zealand may turn a slight shade of purple and that I would honestly consider protozoology as a career. However, the probability of either of those happening is sufficiently small that is safe to say it has never and will never happen. Just the thought that anything possible may happen at any time isn't interesting if nothing does happen. Now, I find fiction interesting because most things that can't (because of probability) happen are depicted as though they can. They take place in universes where people are certain of their beliefs enough to be rewarded with proof. The Priest may get talk to an angel, a demon may cause terror in the city and a succubus may haunt men of a town, and even though that wouldn't be ideal, it'd be interesting. Instead, we have reality where nothing really interesting happens, and most conflict is war, enforcing of morals, diplomacy and/or legality. But then I wonder, why does this worlds appeal to me more than this one? Surely if I lived there it would seem terribly boring too? One way to avoid this would be to retain memories from these reality into another, but that's just impossible (or with very little chance of happening). Fiction is where another reality is created, explored by those not native to it. That's why it's interesting, and, even though the world is inherently boring, is the only one where (un-distracted by unnatural or even natural events) I can find pleasure in this worlds. If I was a Knight in a fantasy setting, would I be as interested in philosophy as I am now? Would I find joy in pondering the universe rather than pondering where an unexplainable power as magic comes from? Would I enjoy reading the stories from Japanese mangas, American comics and just simple books or even be able to find them? No... I've come to the realization that this is an uninteresting world, but it is the only I'd choose. Intellectually, I'd only be the optimal Me (by my standards, of course, I'm not gloating : p) in this reality, rather than being a wizard, a knight, a samurai, a pirate or even a king. Even though I don't care about spirituality, metaphysics or even arts (obviously excluding writing and music*) and most of what I do is read or entertain myself via games or movies, I wouldn't want to live in another reality. This is the only one who offers me enough cynicism and entertainment and information so I can, intellectually, be who I want to be. What do you think of this? (I'm not asking you to review this, but rather give your opinion in the matter ) *Music is a distinct case. I'd rather not get into it right now.
Personally, I tend to find a lot of things interesting. I love to travel, because I want to discover places I've never seen before. I love to read about science (especially if it has to do with space exploration), because I can't imagine anything more interesting than the mysteries that the universe still holds, and which we are still trying to crack. I love to paint and draw and photograph things, just because I find so much beauty in the world, and I want so badly to capture it. There's more...so much more. I think that the world is as interesting as you make it. If you want to have adventures like the people in the books you read...then make it happen. Go to a country where you don't know the language or the customs. Go hiking or mountain climbing. Learn a new skill that isn't necessarily "something you would do." Talk to strangers on the bus. Adventures never happen in the books unless the main character steps out of his or her comfort zone.
I sort of see where you're coming from, but being bored by everything isn't really a good posistion. I love to read and write, play video games, go to the beach (where, admittedly, I read and think of things to write), see movies, watch sports, play with friends, and tons of other stuff. And while I won't get into a philosophical debate, I just have to say that the existance of a god is probably the biggest question humanity will ever try, but fail, to answer. Just try to open up and embrace the world. You only have one life to live, go out and have some fun.
Yeah, the world can be kind of boring. I also usually prefer thinking about philosophy than doing what is normal in our society. However, what is interesting when people try to push the normally accepted rules of our universe and see what happens. Also, I think its pretty cool that you like Nietzche, he's one of my favorite philosophers (along with Voltaire and Socrates).
Hell and no, the world is not boring! If not just because of nature alone: The Outback. Niagara Falls. Ireland. Yellowstone. The Great Barrier Reef. There's so many things out there to be done. And, if you want a look at the entirely non-fictional world that shows how awesomely un-boring it is, read A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. Or most of Bill Bryson's books. There's some cool, cool stuff out there.
I only find the world boring when I have nothing new to explore, or when I lose my desire to explore. Anything from sidewalk cracks to physics classes can be interesting. That's why I love reading, because each book is a whole new world to explore.
The world isn't boring there is plenty to see, but the problem is that there is no one to see it. All we do is let time slip by. We all work, all do school, we all drive, and go to shopping places, and we just sit around. We let time slip by and by the end of it all you saw nothing. That is the only way we can say the world is boring when we let time split by. I am following in everyone's footsteps as well, I will got o school, work, and drive letting time slip by. Even though I don't want to have a life like that.
If the world is boring, then you just aren't getting out. There are members on this site who live in areas that could stand to be a bit less exciting for them, I'm sure. Maybe learning a little more about what is happening out there on this Big Blue Marble might be the cure you're looking for.
that or world of warcraft why be a middle class teenager stuck indoors when you can be a bloodelf fighting for the Horde?
Heh heh, that's just silly. How would I know it's boring if I hadn't been through it? This year I went to Mardi Grass in New Orleans, and to the aztec pyramids of Chizen Itza (admittedly it took my attention for a couple of hours) in Mexico. I plan to do traveling around but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna find it boring ; ). When given the choice to do anything, I tend to do nothing but read, or game if my friends are around or just make a few posts here.
Well then, perhaps it’s just a bit of detachment that you are feeling. I feel it too from time to time. I am a gypsy by nature, and sometimes I feel it as well. When I climbed Machu Pichu, I cried at the summit, it was so beautiful. Boring is the last thing I would have called it. Maybe you should read my blog, The Church of the Random Mind. It kinda' sorta' pertains to the subject.
How can the world possibly be boring> There is so much to discover, so many things to attempt and accomplish, and not enough time to scratch the surface! Seek out the unique point of reference that eliminates the mundane.
But that is slightly impossible. Life rarely gives you much time to do these things. We can search for these things if we are always on a time limit. Time seems to stop us or time seems to make us rush what it suppose to be fun. Time always run and always stop us from what we seek.
It is always possible to SEEK the unique viewpoint. Certainly if one is bored, one has the time to devote to that pursuit.
I find life predictible at times, but not quite what I'd call "boring." I can almost always find something interesting out there. I've been fortunate enough to find a small group of people that have offered me quite a lot of entertainment. I'm off to one of their conventions over the weekend even.
I remember when I went to Colorado for summer break. I was really looking forward to it and I did devote time to it, but it seemed like we were being rushed by time. I only had two weeks and I only had one more day in that colorful world. Because I was suppose to leave in the morning. I remember as the time got closer for me to leave that time had stopped. Time had stopped me from grasping my hands on this wonderful and beautiful world. I didn't want to go back I wanted to continue seeking new places and new worlds. But I couldn't because I was forced by time to go back.
Hmmm? When I find something fun I rarely stop anything from getting in my way of doing it. If I like a book, neither school, work, family, church or society could stop me from reading it. It may be true that we are rather limited when it comes to traveling but time is certainly not much of a factor for me when it comes to dealing with boredom. Now that is a bit more specific. I won't deny time's hand messing with your fun but I've never been the type to stick to a specific place for long. From this viewpoint it does look like time is annoyingly decided in limiting what could be fun. I agree with you in this aspect.
When I find something fun it always seems like something is getting my way. Time always seem to stop me. Since I have so much to do in my real life. I have no time left.
This sentence caught my eye... Real Life? Is you real life all work or study and no fun? Why do you separate the two? edit: I didn't mean real life in the sense of separating the internet and the outside but the way you phrased it seemed to imply that you don't consider fun part of your real life. Excuse me if my grammar is a little off sometimes.
My real life is just a trying to balance study and work with fun. It appears no one wants me to have fun or I have something to do before I do fun. I separate the two because when I have fun I like to escape the world with my mind. Fun for me is my imagination.
No one is going to want you to have fun. The only one should be you. That being said... I never have something [interesting] to do [thus, I'm bored], so our situations differ. @Nilfiry: That's a bit blunt, isn't it? Or do you just agree to the first post in it's entirety?
What?! I'm sorry, but that has got to be the saddest statement I have ever heard. The world is filled with an infinite amount of enjoyable things. I swear it to be the truth. You just have to learn to find it within yourself to enjoy the enjoyable.
