Re-Enchantment: Solitude and the Cost of Constant Hurry

Send us Fan Mail O'Connell describes how his initial boredom in the wilderness—that uncomfortable confrontation with unfilled time—eventually dissolved into what he calls a "meditative stupor." It's precisely this transition that our constant digital engagement prevents. We've developed a pathological aversion to boredom. The moment we feel that twinge of emptiness, we reach for our phones. We've forgotten that boredom is the doorway to creativity, self-knowledge, and deeper perception. When ...