Ennui

This word describing the temperament of dissatisfaction, lethargy, and overall boredom seems to be a buzzword in recent headlines and culture, but words having meaning and buzzwords only rise to the occasion of being popular because the sentiment has done so in the culture slightly before the fact.  The Industrial Revolution brought a revivification of energy and robustness as well as urbanite culture that had previously been unknown; however, it also brought its own flavor of perils, including overcrowded cities and overworked men.  Now that we are on the far side of two World Wars, quintessential suburban flight, cultural and paraphernalia revolutions, grunge culture, and social and technological explosions, there seems to be a pervasive disposition of restlessness, particularly among my millennial generation that there is something bigger, better and principally more exciting “out there.”  That may be so, but the primary trouble with this idea is the reality that ‘wherever you go, there you are’.  That is to say, you carry yourself with you.  If you jump out of plane with a parachute to remedy your restlessness, for example, it will still be you jumping.  That may seem like a rather obvious assessment of the facts and a tautology at that, but the point is that your personality, disposition, anxieties, fears, hopes, and aspirations jump with you out of the plane and you cannot escape them…even by literally jumping out of a plane.  We resonate with stories like Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” so well, at least in part, because of the proposition of an ordinary character being propelled into an extraordinary adventure.  While he seemed to have little ennui and was content to eat two breakfasts a day, the dispelling of our ennui is partially satiated by the adventures he is propelled on.  Let us not forget, however, that that diminishing of restlessness came about through encountering ogres, dragons and wizards, not puppies, daisies, and lattes.  If ennui hangs over you like a dark cloud, then instead of praying for more exotic trips, dazzling meals and the like you may want to pray for hardship.  I assure you very few Syrian refugees are presently experiencing ennui.  More than likely, they are aspiring to the safe, predictable, stable and secure livelihood that has led so many others to discontentment.