Boredom's Cultural History and Modern Science Explored in New Book
Josefa Ros Velasco, a postdoctoral researcher at Complutense University of Madrid and the founder of the Institute of Boredom Studies, has released a book titled 'The Disease of Boredom: From Ancient Philosophy to Modern Psychology.' This work delves into the cultural evolution of boredom, presenting it as either a complex dysfunction or an adaptive trait. Ros Velasco identifies four distinct levels of boredom, with the latter three potentially resulting in issues such as depression, addiction, or even suicide. The narrative spans from Ancient Greece to contemporary psychiatric conditions like ADHD, highlighting how modern technology, especially smartphones, intensifies feelings of boredom. The article also references Dom Jean-Charles Nault’s 2015 work 'The Noonday Devil,' which advocates for perseverance as a remedy. Valerie Stivers authored the piece, published in Portico Quarterly.
Key facts
- Josefa Ros Velasco is the founder of the world's first Institute of Boredom Studies.
- The book is titled 'The Disease of Boredom: From Ancient Philosophy to Modern Psychology'.
- Ros Velasco identifies four levels of boredom classification.
- Boredom can be dysfunctional and dangerous, leading to depression, addiction, and suicide.
- In Ancient Greece, boredom was considered a social vice.
- The medieval concept of acedia was known as 'the noonday demon'.
- Boredom was later viewed as a physical illness caused by excess spleen.
- Dom Jean-Charles Nault's book 'The Noonday Devil' suggests perseverance as a cure for boredom.
Entities
Artists
- Josefa Ros Velasco
- Valerie Stivers
- Dom Jean-Charles Nault
- Seneca
Institutions
- Complutense University of Madrid
- Institute of Boredom Studies
- UnHerd US
- Portico Quarterly
Locations
- Madrid
- Spain
- France