The Value of Boredom

Technological devices as a protection of boredom 

Genevieve Bell is a social scientist who, in this speech, draws on Martin Heidegger's idea that 'being bored is a fundamental state of being human.' Boredom, as a state of disengagement, can have positive implications from both a psychological and physical perspective; it is a state in which, Bell describes, "your brain...and consciousness gets to reset itself." 

Bell argues that today, 80 years since the conception of Heidegger's theory, it has become less likely that one might experience boredom. The introduction of many stimulating, exciting devices has prevented us from ever being bored, and these devices succeed in "warding off boredom."

It is a moot point as to whether boredom is good or bad, and whether new media and technological devices do modern individuals a service in preventing boredom. What is, however, interesting is Genevieve Bell's point that we should make 'spaces to be bored.'

I find this idea interesting, and believe that we should have a conscious balance between being connected, communicative individuals, and being disconnected, inward humans. I believe that both sides are important, however it is important that both sides do not overlap and conflict. It would be interesting to allocate physical spaces for being 'bored', in which we wholly disconnect from the constant demand of technology, and conversely allocate other spaces for being engaged with new social media and communication technologies.