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“Confined in an invisible bubble that prevents contact with the world”

Drawing upon examples from art, psychology, literature, and philosophy, the chapter offers an introduction to boredom, one that is attentive both to its rich history and to how it is currently understood and studied. The chapter articulates the reasons why boredom has been widely understood to be either trivial or inconsequential. It then counters such a simplistic understanding of boredom by drawing a distinction between two types of boredom and by illuminating the ways in which both kinds of boredom can have serious consequences for one’s well-being. Even though a negative and potentially harmful side of boredom exists and ought to be taken seriously, the chapter concludes by suggesting that there is another, far more positive and beneficial side to boredom that has been largely ignored.