Blaise Pascal observed that the human heart is a God-shaped vacuum. But his perspicacity (I've been wanting to use that word for some time) hardly ended there. Pascal is imminently able to connect dots where the human condition is concerned. Thus, while some people point out that "Bored people are bored," Pascal makes a sweeping, truer, and more biting observation: Boredom will destroy you. Listen to the man.Despite [his] afflictions man wants to be happy, only wants to be happy, and cannot help wanting to be happy. But how shall he go about it? The best thing would be to make himself immortal, but as he cannot do that, he has decided to stop thinking about it...
Man is obviously made for thinking. Therein lies all his dignity and his merit; and his whole duty is to think as he ought. Now the order of thought is to begin with ourselves, and with our author and our end. Now what does the world think about? Never about that, but about dancing, playing the lute, singing, writing verse, tilting at the ring, etc., and fighting, becoming king, without thinking what it means to be a king or to be a man.
So sustained boredom, medicated with endless diversions, keeps us from thinking about and confronting what could actually lead to our salvation: the inevitable desire for happiness with an infinite shelf life. Read more here.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Pascal on Boredom: It Can Kill You
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10 comments:
Hmm... does chronic boredom at work count? kidding :) This is along the lines of Journey of Desire me thinks? Much as I think you disdain Elderidge's touchy feely christianity? :)
I haven't read Eldredge's Journey, although I intend to. Actually, I've backed off a little bit from Eldredge's touchy-feelyness. I have some issues with how he presents his experiences (pseudo-sexual?), but I don't want to imply that subjective, personal experiences of God's nearness, love and presence are to be laughed at.
My issues with Eldredge are more on a core theological level. I think this write-up is fairly objective and helpful: Is God Wild at Heart?
See what you've done? God me started on an Eldredge tangent! ;)
I came across your blog when I did a Don Miller/Blue Like Jazz Search. I just wanted to suggest a book on
God's Will---"Decision Making and the Will of God" by Gary Friessen. You strike me as someone who would really appreciate what this author has to say.
Also, I haven't run across a lot of people who read Walter Wangerin, especially in your age group. "Have you read Reliving the Passion "by said author?
You remind me of my son, who is a 28-year old elder/worship leader, husband and dad. He has inspired me to read about and analyze our Christian culture.
God bless you!
Thanks for the very kind comment, Linda. I'll take a look at Friessen's book - I love it when I get personal recommendations.
I have, in fact, read Reliving the Passion. My entire family loves Wangerin. I discovered The Book of the Dun Cow when I was in my teens...since then I've read about everything he's written. What a great feeling for narrative-truth he has.
If you read this, I'm curious where your son is serving. All the best to you (and him).
You're welcome, Ariel.
My son serves at Riverview Church (www.eriv.net) in Holt, Michigan, a church that began as a campus ministry at MSU many years ago.
Hey, if and when you read "Decision Making..." shoot me a note at my blog:
lindajanek.blogspot.com
and let me know what you think of it.
What a great commentary on boredom! It's been a topic I've wanted to look into further after hearing Andrew Fellows' talk about it at a L'Abri conference several years ago. His main assertion, if I remember correctly, was that to be bored is to ignore the Christian's call to a meditative life, similar to the thought that "Man is obviously made for thinking."
In Scripture we are given examples of people who go about their daily business, interact with people, write letters, and so forth; and when they're alone they pray, they meditate on Scripture, on the nature of life, or on any number of things - but you never hear of prophets, disciples, or other followers being bored and in need of diversions, though I'm sure there were many diversions to be had in their day.
Boredom seems to be based on the question, "What can I do?" rather than the questions we should be asking instead: "What can I do for others?", "How can I be productive?", or "What can I learn?"
Anyway, interesting topic, and thanks for your post! Now it's back to my lit review... :)
Great illustrations, Widsith. Bringing meditation and prayer into the conversation is essential. I think you get very close to the center of the discussion when you point out our obsession with what we can do.
Something that make prayer and meditation more than good mind-relaxants is their effect on who we are. I try to remind myself that apparent monotony actually has the effect of shaping me into a new creature. Christ is concerned more with who I am then what I do.
Hi there. Just wondering if anyone knows where this Pascal quotation is from? I want to use it but I don't know where to reference it to.
Thanks.
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