Overview

Boredom is a common human experience. It may strike us as straightforwardDLa mere absence or lack, an emotional emptiness of sortsDLyet it is anything but simple. It is complicated: personal and social, biological and cultural, both ever-changing and constant. It can spur action, both productive and harmful. It affects us differently based on our social identity and standing. Boredom is both a mirror of the complexities of human existence and a cause of them. In The Anatomy of Boredom, Andreas Elpidorou offers a groundbreaking examination of this ubiquitous yet enigmatic dimension of human existence, illuminating its profound influence on our personal and social lives. Through interdisciplinary analysis, careful argumentation, and captivating insights, Elpidorou presents a functional theory of boredom, which understands and individuates boredom in terms of its role in our mental, behavioral, and social existence. This theory provides a compelling synthesis of existing research, connects the present of boredom to its history, and allows us to apply our knowledge of boredom to relatively unexplored domains, such as its relationship to the good life, self-regulation and self-control, poverty and capitalism, advancements in AI, animal emotions, and even aesthetics and art appreciation. Ultimately, the study of boredom is revealed to be more than just an analysis of an intricate and important affective experience; it is also shown to be an insightful investigation into the complexities of human (and even non-human) existence.

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9780197564332

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Reviews

Andreas Elpidorou is our greatest contemporary analyst of boredom and The Anatomy of Boredom is the best book yet written on the subject. It is elegant, engaging, omnivorously researched, and smart as hell. If you've ever struggled with boredom (and in our era of wall-to-wall, paper-thin amusements, who hasn't?), then you need to read this book. It will help you to understand your mind, your culture, your fellow creatures, and even the meaning of life with a greater richness and depth. Don't miss it. * Daniel Smith, bestselling author of Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety * Elpidorou has established himself as the preeminent thinker on boredom. With Anatomy he cogently outlines a case for boredom playing a critical role in our everyday lives - one that helps us live in the Goldilocks' zone of optimal cognitive engagement. Along the way, Elpidorou seems to pull off a magic trick - with engaging prose, a breadth of knowledge spanning history, art, literature, philosophy, and psychology, he manages to make boredom extremely interesting. * James Danckert, Professor of Psychology at the University of Waterloo and co-author of Out of My Skull: The Psychology of Boredom * In this endlessly insightful exploration of boredom, philosopher and psychology expert Andreas Elpidorou unpacks the origins, functions, and diverse forms of this often misunderstood emotion. Far from a dull read, this book is filled with fresh perspectives and compelling ideas, making it essential for anyone curious about boredom itself, the nature of emotions, or the broader human experience. A must-read for those seeking to understand one of life's most universal yet complex feelings. * George Loewenstein, one of the founders of behavioral economics and the Herbert A. Simon University Professor of Economics and Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University *

Author Information

Andreas Elpidorou is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Louisville. His work focuses on the philosophical study of human emotions, with a particular emphasis on boredom. He has published extensively on the subject and developed a novel theoretical model of boredom that sheds light on its complicated nature and diverse psychological, behavioral, and social effects. In his written work, he explores the function, value, and dangers of boredom and strives to offer clear, precise, and critical explications of aspects of our mental lives that often remain hidden from us. He is the author of Propelled: How Boredom, Frustration, and Anticipation Lead Us to the Good Life (Oxford University Press, 2020) and numerous other publications.

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