Boredom as a competence: education for an overstimulated world

Abstract

Boredom as a feeling of apathy and indifference is normally lived as a negative experience. On fact, from an educational point of view, the necessity of eradicating it has been traditionally considered. However, this is not the only way of understanding it. A deeper analysis can lead us to find some positive aspects on it. From a philosophical-educational perspective, and thus by means of critical analysis of texts, this paper will analyze in detail these aspects. We will show that boredom is nothing but time for oneself, which it is essential for the authentic subjectivity deve­lopment. The knowledge society demands autonomous and responsible individuals, but it is always paradoxically occupying our time. So in order to solve this paradox, we conclude that boredom must be currently considered as a basic and fundamental competence.

Keywords

• filosofía de la educación
• sociedad del conocimiento
• formación
• aburrimiento