Maybe good ol' fashioned boredom is lonely.
wut.
What I mean by that is if good ol' fashioned boredom were a person, then maybe they are lonely because people don't spend their time in the same way they used to. Nowadays, they distract themselves with social media, streaming, etc.
What do you think?
Those new ways of combating boredom aren't bad per se; they're just different from the old way. I suppose I am just pondering if we have lost something along the way.
☁️☁️☁️
A simple pleasure of letting your mind wander.
Watching the clouds.
People watching.
Daydreaming.
These are a lost art form.
I asked ChatGPT:
Are humans meant to be bored?"
ChatGPT responded:
That's a deep and oddly beautiful question.
🧠 Are Humans Meant to Be Bored?
Not meant to be bored, exactly—but boredom is part of being human. It's like an emotional signal, just like hunger or pain. It shows up when:
We’re understimulated or not challenged.
We’re disconnected from what we’re doing.
Our activities lack meaning or purpose.
A follow-up question I asked was:
Are humans meant to experience good old fashioned boredom?
ChatGPT responded:
Yes—humans are absolutely meant to experience good ol’ fashioned boredom. Not only is it natural, it’s essential in a weird, quiet way.
🧬 Biologically, boredom is a feature—not a flaw.
It’s your brain’s way of saying:
“This isn’t satisfying. Go seek novelty, meaning, or purpose.”
Just like pain tells you to move your hand from a hot stove, boredom tells you your mind wants more—more challenge, more connection, more creativity.
These days, we treat boredom as a bug, not as a feature. It is your mind's way of saying, 'Do something more stimulating with your time. '
But also, it is perfectly okay to be naturally bored and not do much about it. Rather than pulling your phone out of your pockie the next time you're bored standing in line, just people watch. Or just let your mind wander.
A lot of the apps on our phones are designed to keep us distracted. We compare ourselves too much and feel that FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). It is too much about what other people are doing, etc., and not enough emphasis on you. The real you.
I feel that when you remove this aspect of your life (social media, YouTube, doomscrolling, etc.), you reclaim something that has long been dormant. Your brain re-enters its default mode. From there, you will start to feel more naturally creative. You clear away the noise and hear yourself again.