Kirra
Gibson
November 8, 2017
Writers Moves
The Conversation: What Others are Saying
1. A number of researchers have recently suggested that boredom can spur creativity.
2. It has become common today to dismiss feeling bored, since people believe that
boredom is just a passing phase.
3. At the same time that I believe that boredom can cause teenagers to engage in negative
behaviors like drug taking, I also believe that teenagers can create new opportunities for
themselves through feeling bored.
The Art of Summarizing
1. The Shining, a horror classic based off of Stephen Kings very own novel is about a man
who goes crazy, trapped in a desolate hotel in the harsh winter months. I believe that
this is a great example of Cabin Fever, a phenomenon experienced when people are
both angry and bored because they feel entrapped in their current living situation.
2. James Danckert drew many conclusions about his research on boredom. First, he
concluded that people who have ADHD and depression are highly likely to experience
boredom. Secondly, Danckert discusses his findings on attention, he talks about how
people prone to boredom perform poorly on tasks. Finally, he concludes that boredom,
although shares qualities with depression, should not be categorized as the same thing.
3. John Eastwood explains that there are three functions evolved in attention. These
functions help our brain stay focused on tasks. John Eastwood believes that our
attention has different levels, like a government system. Since this is the comparison he
creates, I suppose it means that our attention span works the same way as the
government- and thats poorly.
The Art of Quoting
1. Thomas Goetz states, There are five different types of boredom, which one you
experience is dependent on your personality.
2. In his book, Boredom: A Lively History, Toohey maintains that boredom is physically
expressed through people putting their hands on their hips, staring off blankly into
space, and slouching over.
3. Puniewska disagrees when she writes, boredom can be bad for not only your metal
health but your physical wellbeing as well.
Ways of Responding to Source Material
1. I disagree with Burtons view on the only reason somebody would fall asleep during
lecture hall would be due to boredom, because me being a college student, I find myself
exhausted. Sometimes it is as simple as lack of sleep.
2. By focusing only the positive benefits of boredom, Smith overlooks the deeper problem
of teenagers that experience mental health disorders, and how these can affect a
persons wellbeing.
3. Though I concede that parents should be strict about drinking and smoking, I still insist
that if a parent is too overbearing, the child will try even harder to rebel.
Saying Why it Matters
1. At first glance teenagers might say that they were feeling too lazy to do the assignment.
But on closer inspection, teenagers might actually just be experiencing a lull in
commitment to the project, due to the project not being stimulating enough.
2. Ultimately, what is at stake here is the health of societys teenagers, both mentally and
physically.
3. My point here about engaging in self-harm because you are bored should interest those
who are feeling ashamed of engaging in self harm because of this reason. Beyond this
limited audience however, my point should speak for anybody who cares about the
larger issue of promoting mental health care.
