what is boredom?

In my schooldays during the vacation, I’d occasionally complain to Thatha (grandpa) “I’m bored”

And he’d reply… “what is that bored, I say… tell me what do you mean by boredom?”

What a strange question… I’d start to explain… but couldn’t quite get the words right. It was an interesting question, I never really managed to answer it.

Even now I’m not really sure of the answer… just a few ideas which might’ve pleased Thatha had he been around today… 🙂

Boredom is a state of mind in which one interprets one’s environment as dull, tedious, and lacking stimuli. There is an inherent hopelessness in boredom; people will expend considerable effort to prevent or remedy it, yet in many circumstances it is accepted as an inevitable suffering to be endured.

~ wiki on boredom

A psychological state resulting from any activity that lacks motivation, or from enforced continuance in an uninteresting situation.

~ a medical dictionary

Hmm… somewhat vague explanations… but this is my own theory, not sure how much sense it makes:

Boredom is one’s inability to be with oneself.