Potential of boredom phenomenon

The problem of boredom is studied by different sciences. In this article boredom is examined from psychological and philosophic views. In the first place boredom is a psychological essence because it is considered as emotion and mood. Philosophy analyses boredom as a fundamental mood or existentialism. According to famous modern psychologist Paul Ekman, emotion is an intentional individual feeling while mood is a more extended idea as it is directed to all phenomena and objects in general. Emotion, as well as mood, could have constructive (not afflictive) and destructive (afflictive) nature. But that difference is relative because in some cases destructive emotions could be constructive ones. What concerns mood it has a clearer division. The essence of boredom is considered to be a negative phenomenon. What is more interesting psychology describes the existential as destructive feelings which lead to psychological diseases. From philosophical view fundamental boredom appears to be basic for philosophical reflection. Existential boredom appears suddenly, it is always within us. Thus, waking boredom or another fundamental mood, we do not miss the opportunities, the potential that can be realized. Everyday life does not give access to the basics of life, daily life is a permanent move away from this issue, a concern about how to get away from it. It is believed that negative mood promotes more appropriate and objective perception of reality. If the mood is the focus of looking at the world, how then does one see the world in the state of boredom? As was stated above, the expression of boredom includes a set of values, such as vacancies in time, lack of personal meaning, no purpose, dissatisfaction. Thus, boredom is a blank look at the world, so it is the condition for reflection. Nowadays, the number of people who undergo the existential condition is increasing. Possible reasons of such a situation are examined in this article, they are results of post traditional societies formation. People are losing existential aims having much free time. Besides, people are separating from the nature more and more, modern culture determines general behaviour patterns. In life there are two forces: constructive and destructive. Psychologists and philosophers of various schools reveal their understanding of the process and understand the different causes underlying them. According to psychology, particularly to Sigmund Freud, every living creature consists of contrary passions to life and death. So in any person's activity these two polar passions could be seen. That is why philosophy offers to overcome the negative mood of boredom by constructive endeavour (E. Fromm, L. Svendsen) and immersion (M. Heidegger, A, Camus, S. Kierkegaard). In the way of "immersion" emptiness arises, which in fact is a condition of self-reflection, a condition for the emergence of new meanings. Awareness is the most difficult path to walk along, it requires a certain level of spiritual development of the individual. Only by working on oneself, a creative personality with its qualities and abilities can become aware, this is the way of creation.

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