One dictionary definition of boredom characterises it as consisting of “wandering attention” and “low levels of arousal”. Low arousal and mainly negative (I say mainly because the valence of boredom depends a lot on the individual). The philosopher Walter Benjamin, for example, described boredom as “the dream bird that hatches the egg of experience”. He saw boredom as a positive state that allows us to incubate new thoughts, ideas and experiences. ‘Clench these scrabbling fingers and do not succumb to the scrolling the Tech Masters demand’That’s why we should welcome boredom as a temporary relief from mental slavery.

Source: The Irish Times January 01, 2026 12:33 UTC