Boredom and its Discontents

[Salomé]

I recently read an interesting essay by Adam Phillips, "On Being Bored".
It made me wonder how boredom might relate to type. Do you think boredom is a symptom of poverty of imagination? Of inactivity? Or frustration with reality?
Are you bored often? Are you more bored by having a lot of (boring) stuff to do, or not enough? How does it manifest itself? And how do you overcome it - do you use distraction techniques? Or do you focus on deeper issues?

Does boredom serve a purpose, like depression - can it make us question the pattern and progress of our lives to-date?
Does it make us shake ourselves out of a rut? What other purpose might it serve?

 

[Virtual ghost]

Since I am strong J am almost never bored. In case that there is nothing to do I can always turn to my inner world and things I am interested in.

Many people think that I am bored to the death in my life since I am very introverted but the truth is totally oppostite.

I mean, it is hard to be bored if you can isolate yourself from others for 3 months and be totally OK with it. (this is how I used to spent my summertimes)

 

[Salomé]

Since I am strong J am almost never bored. In case that there is nothing to do I can always turn to my inner world and things I am interested in.

Many people think that I am bored to the death in my life since I am very introverted but the truth is totally oppostite.

I mean, it is hard to be bored if you can isolate yourself from others for 3 months and be totally OK with it. (this is how I used to spent my summertimes)

So your assertion is that Js are less bored than Ps?

Why is that?

 

[ajblaise]

I think P's tend to be less bored, but only because we tend to tap out from things we find boring or not fun faster than J's.

J's might think they are less bored, but they're boring the hell out of us!

 

[Lady_X]

i've never been so freakin bored in all my life!!

 

[Chris_in_Orbit]

Usually the general idea is I am the least bored when I have important things to be doing. Mind you, I'm not doing those important things, I'm doing something else.... because somehow everything seems interesting compared to an 11 page essay for writing class.

But then when I don't have those things to do I can get bored. But since I've started college I've rarely been bored...

 

[Salomé]

@ea Please expand. (see questions in OP)

 

[Lady_X]

i think it serves a purpose..yes...i think i've always had a lot of people around and always had something to do...and now i don't...so i'm looking inward...which lead me here...and trying to sort things out...understand people...myself....fix the broken bits

but...also accepting that i need people...it's almost as if life isn't really happening without them...and why is that?? and how do i feel about that??

i can't tell if that's just useless dribble...did it answer the question?

 

[Virtual ghost]

So your assertion is that Js are less bored than Ps?

Why is that?

Not exactly, there are bored people on both sides.
But strong J can have easy time in many situations since it will usually find something to do.

In my case I have a lot to study + time for classes. But when I am resting I am once again thinkng.What I am doing is using my knowledge on things that are from everyday life. So that I can see what will happen.
What I want to say is that strong J can make you obsessive(in a good way) so you will always have something to do.


What I have seen in life is that Ps can insist on spontaneity, what can lead to scenario that they find themselfs in situation in which they don't want to be and they get bored because of that.

 

[Salomé]

i think it serves a purpose..yes...i think i've always had a lot of people around and always had something to do...and now i don't...so i'm looking inward...which lead me here...and trying to sort things out...understand people...myself....fix the broken bits

but...also accepting that i need people...it's almost as if life isn't really happening without them...and why is that?? and how do i feel about that??

i can't tell if that's just useless dribble...did it answer the question?

Yes, thank you.
So what is boring for you is not being distracted by others? How do you think you will fix this?

Not exactly, there are bored people on both sides.
But strong J can have easy time in many situations since it will usually find something to do.

In my case I have a lot to study + time for classes. But when I am resting I am once again thinkng.What I am doing is using my knowledge on things that are from everyday life. So that I can see what will happen.
What I want to say is that strong J can make you obsessive(in a good way) so you will always have something to do.

What I have seen in life is that Ps can insist on spontaneity, what can lead to scenario that they find themselfs in situation in which they don't want to be and they get bored because of that.

Don't you get bored when you have things to do? I am least bored when I have nothing to do, because I can do what I like. Boring things bore me.

 

[Condor]

I recently read an interesting essay by Adam Phillips, "On Being Bored".
It made me wonder how boredom might relate to type. Do you think boredom is a symptom of poverty of imagination? Of inactivity? Or frustration with reality?
Are you bored often? Are you more bored by having a lot of (boring) stuff to do, or not enough? How does it manifest itself? And how do you overcome it - do you use distraction techniques? Or do you focus on deeper issues?

Does boredom serve a purpose, like depression - can it make us question the pattern and progress of our lives to-date?
Does it make us shake ourselves out of a rut? What other purpose might it serve?

Looking at it from a task orientated viewpoint, boredom would be the result of having achieved all that you could (or perceive that you could) on a particular function or procedure. A lack of challenge or a lack of new experiences would most likely qualify as "boredom". So for the three choices you presented in your OP, I would say inactivity inasmuch as a lack of "new" activity.

As for myself, I can't remember the last time (although I'm sure it's happened) I was bored. As a teacher, I have mastered the techniques I teach, but the chance of working with new students every new term keeps the boredom away, so to speak. Probably why people eventually get into research - to seek out the newness of a concept or thing. And that leads to your third thought I saw...

I think boredom (or the threat of it) serves to drive people to answer the question "now what?" or "is this it?" as they seek out new challenges, etc. as I described above.

Anyway, that's what I think, for what it's worth.

 

[Lady_X]

^^^ well...balance is key....inward and outward life should feel whole
if i had never moved and became so dreadfully bored i'm not sure i would've figured out as much as i have...and seen reality as it is...
many...many questions still in rotation...but w/o the boredom i wouldn't have noticed.

 

[Jack Flak]

^^^ well...balance is key....inward and outward life should feel whole
if i had never moved and became so dreadfully bored i'm not sure i would've figured out as much as i have...and seen reality as it is...
many...many questions still in rotation...but w/o the boredom i wouldn't have noticed.

You need people, e.a. Get some people! Good people!

 

[Salomé]

^ Hey, no flirting in my thread, answer the damned question!

 

[Jack Flak]

^ Hey, no flirting in my thread, answer the damned question!

I get bored a couple times a week. So, not that much, rly.

 

[Salomé]

I get bored a couple times a week. So, not that much, rly.

God, I tell you what is boring: Stone-bleeding.

 

[Wade Wilson]

I'm bored no matter what I'm doing, which in turn leads to frustration and paranoia (because I end up focusing on things that don't really exist until I'm convinced that they do). After awhile I can't contain it anymore and start dragging other people into my delusions which pisses them off and all sorts of conflicts arise.

I guess it started a few years ago when, out of the blue, my life was no longer fun and exciting and random. I had to get into a responsible routine so I wouldn't starve to death and sometimes I think starving would have been better.

 

[Lady_X]

^^^ well hell wade...stop that shit

 

[Kasper]

I am least bored when I have nothing to do, because I can do what I like. Boring things bore me.

^

I get easily bored when I have to do things I’m not interested in, when I have nothing to do I can always find some way of entertaining myself even if it’s just in my head.

 

[Lady_X]

and to add to my other post^^^

i've decided that my other post just wasn't true at all...this boredom isn't serving any purpose...i've always self analyzed...i don't need distraction...i need inspiration and fun..

i don't normally get bored easily...i have so many interests...and i never get bored when i have something to do...so...yeah...scratch what i said...haha...