theguardian: by Giles Fraser.
God is replaced by the self as the ultimate source of meaning. As traditional structures of meaning are wiped away, boredom comes to be regarded as a very personal sort of failing. And in order to avoid it, various distractions are entertained: travel, drink, drugs, the Xbox, sex, transgressive behaviour – all strategies of avoidance, all hinting at a desperate desire to hold off the acknowledgment of meaninglessness
The boats on Roaring Water Bay are hardly moving. The west Cork wind, often ferocious, has dropped to a whisper and the dinghies are aimlessly bobbing up and down on the tide. George, the seagull, keeps me company, looking out over the vast stretches of the Atlantic towards America. Nothing much is going on. My body clock is still set to London, twitchily looking for the next fix of doing something exciting. But this tranquil environment resists any demand for perpetual activity. There are no distractions out here from me dealing with me. This is a good thing. “He who completely entrenches himself against boredom entrenches himself against himself,” said Nietzsche. Decompression is necessary, but more emotionally problematic than the simple idea that a holiday is all about fun, food and rest.
Categories: Europe, God, Spirituality, UK