As humans, we need self-determined, effective connection with the world. We need to be engaged, mentally occupied, giving expression to our desires and exercising our skills and talents. In short, we have a need for agency. When this need is fulfilled, we flourish. When this need is thwarted, we feel bored, disengaged.
In this regard, boredom reveals an important aspect of being human: we have a strong need to be engaged with the world around us. As we’ll see, a number of substitutes for true engagement might be very tempting and might even beat back boredom in the short term. But such temporary salves never last, and boredom will return with a vengeance. After that, it is up to us to embrace our agency.