In addition to confinement, flu-like symptoms, and deaths, COVID-19 also has delivered a potent existential threat in the form of mass ennui, says ...
Boredom is hardly a new area of inquiry. In The Antichrist, philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche noted, “Against boredom even gods struggle in vain.”
They point out that “existential threats” were previously thought to drive the electorate to embrace political extremes. For example, demagogues who emphasise the danger to society from foreigners and other scapegoats induce fear in the electorate. Thus, the psychology of the predicament when facing a major threat drives us to seek for certainty and coherence, while boredom’s tendency to trigger a search for meaning helps to explain the political shifts it induces.COVID-19 A DOUBLE WHAMMY
An intriguing implication of this might be increased electoral support for right-wing leaders like Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, which could encourage them to pursue even more authoritarian policies. Indeed, this viral pandemic may lead to a political spiral into fanaticism – on a mass scale.
This research may be taken as a warning that telling people to stay indoors and comply with other anti-contagion rules can backfire if such measures elevate boredom. The bored are more likely to engage in risky behavior, whether breaking laws and rules, or taking chances with their health.
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