Be Bored -
Think More
Project, “Be Bored” calls out our screen addiction, dares us to sit with our own thoughts, and reminds us that there’s more to life than living for likes.
Why support project, “Be Bored” ?
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Spreads Awareness
about young adults who may be using their phone as a comfort object and are too afraid to be bored for even a second.
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Challenges Patterns
by inviting people to break free from constant scrolling and embrace true boredom as an avenue toward creativity
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Reclaims Personhood
by helping users reconnect with real-life moments and rediscover their sense of identity
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Encourages Reflection
on personal relationships with technology, time, and self.
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Promotes Self-Awareness
through motivating people to live authentically, and step away from the distraction of constant updates on other people.
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Fosters Community
in real life through an online movement that inspires people to unplug and reconnect. (Ironic, huh?)
Call it an “ah-ha moment” if you will, but I’ve had a smart device since I was 8, and social media since I was 9. To no fault of my parents, my brain grew attached to this digital comfort item that taught me who to be. Freud and Winnicott talk about transitional objects, and I would argue that my teddy bear or blankie has internet connection and an algorithm.
In efforts to reclaim my personhood and explore the psychological effects of long term social media usage, I have decided that I will take (at least) 1 year away from using any of them. After only 1 week into this project, I found that I could form more independent ideas and critical thought than ever before. Guess where I found the most creative concepts for my writing? That’s right - boredom.
If the shirts aren’t really your style, and you aren’t interested in participating with the survey research, perhaps you’d like to take the plunge and unplug. I’d love to hear about your experience so that I can honor multiple perspectives in my eventual book about your personal grapple or lack thereof with identity.
Beyond that, feel free to share this with your fellow controlled scrollers!