I heard it once.
I heard it twice.
I heard it over and over again.
"Sydney is boring."
Boy-oh-boy is Sydney boring. I mean REALLY! There's nothing to do. There's no nightlife. Everything over here sucks. God, I wish I was dead! ....okay, the last one was a bit exaggerated, but I was on a roll there.
I've lived in Sydney for about six weeks now, and I regularly hear from Sydneysiders about how boring this city is. The common gripe explains how there is nothing to do and how the nightlife is non-existent. My usual, touristy reply is something like, "oh, but I like Sydney!" And the usual, non-touristy response is something like, "really?! Why??"
At first, I thought it might just be the wear-and-tear of living in one place for a long period of time. Then last Saturday night, the answer became crystal clear.
- Boredomitis (B1D1) -
"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom."
- Thomas Carlyle
I was standing in line for an exciting club in the Central Business District, making small talk with the people in my party and other club-goers. One complained about how boring the city is, and how there was nothing to do - thus, they went clubbing. Another person in line had the same gripe: the city was just so awful, and I should be thankful that I'm from Los Angeles.
A-HA.
Did you notice the fallacy? Take your time and ponder.
- "BOOOOORING!" -
The people I chatted with then asked if I thought Sydney was boring - I sensed they were searching for agreement. I responded with something like,
"Well, after traveling for the last few years, I've learned to be a tourist wherever I am. I try to see the freshness of every new place and take my time to fully enjoy what I see."
They were falling asleep. Sigh. Anyway, what was the error you detected?
When I heard their complaints, my mind raced with questions: How can you complain about boredom and how Sydney doesn't excite you, but then go out and entertain yourself with such a fucking meaningless activity? And then do the same thing every weekend?
Look, if you feed your life with empty experiences, you'll have an empty life. But what are empty activities? Activities that focus solely on gaining approval, validation, and lust. Activities fueled by drugs and alcohol. Activities where you sell yourself to the highest bidder.... sound familiar?
Needless to say, I didn't go clubbing that night.
There's nothing that will enrich your life at the club. You can't nourish your soul by dancing with horny strangers. Eventually, it becomes a crutch in your life.
Geez, so what are truly stimulating activities? Well, I can't entirely answer that because there are so many, but I can tell you it is removed from the usual approval-hunting that plagues empty activities. How about a walk through nature? Star gazing? Reading a good book? Talking with good friends? Doing work that you thoroughly enjoy? Exercise?
Now let me interrupt and explain that there's nothing wrong with going to the club. There's nothing wrong with going to a bar. And what the hell.... there's nothing wrong with going to a strip club. Balance is everything. But.... there is something very wrong and erroneous with being bored. And THAT'S what I am getting at.
"Waste time and time will waste you."
- Anonymous
- Ineffective Cures For Boredomitis -
Whaaa?? Since when was boredom so bad??
Boredom is where all evils enter the world. Time is the most valuable possession on this Earth, and boredom is an utter waste. As an Italian poet once wrote, "we live in a flash of light; evening comes and it is night forever."
Ultimately, when a person is bored, they are bored with themselves. They see the world with such indifference -- THAT is the root of the problem. If they relocated to Manhattan, how long would it take before they are bored again? As The Talmud reminds us, "we see things not as they are, but as we are."
Flashback to last Saturday night. One of the people I talked with was hoping to get married soon, and move to Los Angeles. Oh, the illusions of a temporary cure for boredom! Will moving to L.A. really eliminate the problem?
"What good has travel of itself ever been able to do anyone? It has never acted as a check on pleasure or a restraining influence on desires; it has never controlled the temper of an angry man or quelled the reckless impulses of a lover; never in fact has it rid the personality of a fault.... it will not be traveling but drifting. All this hurrying from place to place won't bring you any relief, for you're traveling in the company of your own emotions, followed by your troubles all the way.
- Lucius Seneca
The 10-percent sales tax can't help, either.
People who are bored are bored with themselves - as a result, they engross themselves in meaningless activities, further cloaking their anxieties.... but that only works for so long. Once the distraction ends, the distress is renewed.
- The Cure For Boredomitis -
"If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently."
- Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes
I rather enjoy Sydney - I honestly believe it offers so much. Aside from the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, there are plenty of other inspiring gems. What about one of the many, gorgeous beaches? How about the Royal Botanical Gardens? Or gazing at the Sydney skyline from Milsons Point? Have you experienced the cafes and restaurants that line the streets of Pyrmont? Or how about simply walking along a road, feeling the crunch of fallen leaves under your feet? I refuse to believe that Sydney - (cough)life(cough) - has lost its luster.
Now, I'm not saying I've never been bored before - until I saw these Eternal Truths, I was constantly bored. Then my life changed. And so can yours.
Be a tourist. Tour your own city and see the wonder that eluded you for so long. During my three-week vacation in L.A. before I moved to Taiwan, I went to the Griffith Park Observatory with one of my best friends and enjoyed the experience. The conversations were hilarious. The views were spectacular. But it's the memory that will last a lifetime.
Break free from the chains of boredom, breathe deep, and live free.
"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."
-Buddha
