Customer Reviews

A Philosophy of Boredom

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When one is superficially bored, one can easily distract oneself by making paper airplanes, such as the one that graces the cover of this book. But only when one is profoundly bored can a work of art such as this book be born.

For nearly four hours my eyes were glued to the pages of Svendsen's amazing book, and then finally, after many tears and shrilly screams, I managed to pull them off the paper without ripping the sensitive skin on my eyelids and actually read the book. And what a book it turned out to be!

It's everything you ever wanted to know about boredom and more, even though there are no directions on how to make paper airplanes or origami mustaches, although images of Nietzsche's glorious mustache kept coming to mind and making my upper lip itch as he was discussed in various parts of this book.

You'll be astounded at how Svendsen explores the once dark and mysterious subject of boredom like a spelunker in a cave, and ultimately emerges in the end holding a few stalactites of truth that were formed by the seemingly endless and measured drips of water that make us aware that time is passing, and also how small and insignificant we are in comparison to this cave called life.

This book will change your outlook on boredom, life, and Kierkegaard's inability to grow a mustache (Ok, so maybe not), and it will enlighten you in a way that is both entertaining and entertaining. Did I mention that this book is entertaining? Well it is, so if you are in the mood to think and be dazzled by a modern day philosophical giant, then I suggest you pick up a copy of this book.

First of all, let me admit that I've never read a purely philosophical work before and, aside from some random thoughts on Nietzsche and Plato, I probably know less about philosophy than you do.

That said, I cannot say this is a groundbreaking work which will change the way you look at the world, *however*, I have personally certainly gotten some insights in the way one /can/ (Svendsen tries to be careful not to judge; more on that later) think about the way people handle "existential" boredom. Svendsen starts by trying to give some possible definitions for the boredom he'd like to discuss, which is very interesting already. Part two, Stories of Boredom, I didn't find particularly interesting, although I guess it could all make sense if you've actually read the work Svendsen refers to.

Don't misunderstand the three stars I'm giving this book. It is a book about boredom, and that doesn't make the book very attractive. However, I have very much enjoyed the thoughts in this book while waiting for the bus to arrive and while waiting for my turn at the dentist - ie., when I was bored. If you're studying philosophy already and have read the works Svendsen uses a long time ago, this book may be less interesting than if you're looking for a quick intro to this subject.

Do note that this is not a self-help book. Svendsen gives some thoughts on what existential boredom is, and where it could have originated, but does not in a direct sense give solutions. To quote the preface, "[...] I intend to present less of a cohesive argument, more a series of sketches that will hopefully bring us closer to an understanding of boredom." Although Svendsen promises not to draw any personal conclusions, be warned that the phrases "I believe" and "I do not believe" do appear in various places, and the author has an obvious affection for Nietzsche's view on the matter. Further, Svendsen implicitly suggests distinct social levels in the world, which I would not expect as part of an objective stance.


CONTENTS
Preface

Part one: The Problem of Boredom
Boredom as a PHilosophical Problem
Boredom and modernity
Boredom and Meaning
Boredom, Work and Leisure
Boredom and Death
Typologies of Boredom
Boredom and Novelty

Part two: Stories of Boredom
Acedia: Pre-modern Boredom
From Pascal to Nietzsche
Romantic Bordem, from William Lovell to American Psycho
On Boredom, Body, Technology and Transgression: Crash
Samuel Beckett and the Impossibility of Personal Meaning
Andy Warhol: Renouncing Personal Meaning

Part three: The Phenomenology of Boredom
On Attunement
Ontology: The Hermeneutics of Boredom

Part four: The Ethics of Boredom
What is an I?
Boredom and Human History
The Experience of Boredom
Boredom and Maturity

Postscript

References