fear is to courage as boredom is to?
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Is there a word meaning "ability to overcome boredom", just like how courage means "ability to overcome fear"?
Sample sentence: "It takes a lot of _ to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring".
Determination and will don't really work since they apply to just about every emotion. I'm looking for something specific to boredom.
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Is there a word meaning "ability to overcome boredom", just like how courage means "ability to overcome fear"?
Sample sentence: "It takes a lot of _ to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring".
Determination and will don't really work since they apply to just about every emotion. I'm looking for something specific to boredom.
single-word-requests
New contributor
johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Superficially, your example implies the problem lies in the fact that the book itself is boring, in which case the reluctant reader is simply "normal" (normal people aren't interested in doing or reading things that are boring). But pragmatically we should assume that's just the reluctant reader's excuse for failing to read the book, so how about It takes a lot of focus to read that book. I couldn't read it because I have the attention span of a goldfish.
– FumbleFingers
Dec 2 at 13:07
If courage conquers fear, perhaps curiosity conquers boredom.
– Dan
Dec 2 at 13:19
@FumbleFingers Focus doesn't belong in the same class as courage. Focus is what boredom saps - it's hard to stay focused when bored.
– johnny
Dec 2 at 14:25
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
Is there a word meaning "ability to overcome boredom", just like how courage means "ability to overcome fear"?
Sample sentence: "It takes a lot of _ to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring".
Determination and will don't really work since they apply to just about every emotion. I'm looking for something specific to boredom.
single-word-requests
New contributor
johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Is there a word meaning "ability to overcome boredom", just like how courage means "ability to overcome fear"?
Sample sentence: "It takes a lot of _ to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring".
Determination and will don't really work since they apply to just about every emotion. I'm looking for something specific to boredom.
single-word-requests
single-word-requests
New contributor
johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Dec 2 at 12:39
johnny
31
31
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johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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New contributor
johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Superficially, your example implies the problem lies in the fact that the book itself is boring, in which case the reluctant reader is simply "normal" (normal people aren't interested in doing or reading things that are boring). But pragmatically we should assume that's just the reluctant reader's excuse for failing to read the book, so how about It takes a lot of focus to read that book. I couldn't read it because I have the attention span of a goldfish.
– FumbleFingers
Dec 2 at 13:07
If courage conquers fear, perhaps curiosity conquers boredom.
– Dan
Dec 2 at 13:19
@FumbleFingers Focus doesn't belong in the same class as courage. Focus is what boredom saps - it's hard to stay focused when bored.
– johnny
Dec 2 at 14:25
add a comment |
1
Superficially, your example implies the problem lies in the fact that the book itself is boring, in which case the reluctant reader is simply "normal" (normal people aren't interested in doing or reading things that are boring). But pragmatically we should assume that's just the reluctant reader's excuse for failing to read the book, so how about It takes a lot of focus to read that book. I couldn't read it because I have the attention span of a goldfish.
– FumbleFingers
Dec 2 at 13:07
If courage conquers fear, perhaps curiosity conquers boredom.
– Dan
Dec 2 at 13:19
@FumbleFingers Focus doesn't belong in the same class as courage. Focus is what boredom saps - it's hard to stay focused when bored.
– johnny
Dec 2 at 14:25
1
1
Superficially, your example implies the problem lies in the fact that the book itself is boring, in which case the reluctant reader is simply "normal" (normal people aren't interested in doing or reading things that are boring). But pragmatically we should assume that's just the reluctant reader's excuse for failing to read the book, so how about It takes a lot of focus to read that book. I couldn't read it because I have the attention span of a goldfish.
– FumbleFingers
Dec 2 at 13:07
Superficially, your example implies the problem lies in the fact that the book itself is boring, in which case the reluctant reader is simply "normal" (normal people aren't interested in doing or reading things that are boring). But pragmatically we should assume that's just the reluctant reader's excuse for failing to read the book, so how about It takes a lot of focus to read that book. I couldn't read it because I have the attention span of a goldfish.
– FumbleFingers
Dec 2 at 13:07
If courage conquers fear, perhaps curiosity conquers boredom.
– Dan
Dec 2 at 13:19
If courage conquers fear, perhaps curiosity conquers boredom.
– Dan
Dec 2 at 13:19
@FumbleFingers Focus doesn't belong in the same class as courage. Focus is what boredom saps - it's hard to stay focused when bored.
– johnny
Dec 2 at 14:25
@FumbleFingers Focus doesn't belong in the same class as courage. Focus is what boredom saps - it's hard to stay focused when bored.
– johnny
Dec 2 at 14:25
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
Boredom has many aspects and as such can have more than one "opposite" concepts that would fit in your example sentence. Consider for example:
It takes a lot of concentration to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
vs.:
It takes a lot of curiosity to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
or:
It takes a lot of stamina to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
add a comment |
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0
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"It takes a lot of perseverance to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring."
[Merriam-Webster]
: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition : the action or condition or an instance of persevering : STEADFASTNESS
// She will always be fondly remembered for her perseverance and determination with a 'never give up' attitude.
— Hartford Courant, courant.com, "Ann Kelly," 14 July 2018
Note that perseverance applies to overcoming more things than just boredom. But I am unaware of any word that specifically means perseverance in the face of boredom.
Courage might specifically mean perseverance in the face of fear, but courage can also apply to an action that lasts for mere seconds. When spending hours reading a boring book, it's the quality of sustained effort that's relevant. Even if reading a few pages is a chore, you can't really be said to have perseverance (or overcome your boredom) if you give up after those few pages.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Psychologists might talk about this in terms of (behavioral or academic) self-regulation (see Wikipedia), which is the ability to make ourselves do things we'd rather not (or stop ourselves doing things we'd rather). It's not limited to boredom, though; you also need self-regulation to overcome distaste or anxiety, as well as to avoid temptation.
Two highly relevant components of self-regulation are motivation and self-control or willpower. It might sound like the latter is the same thing as self-regulation, but all the willpower in the world isn't going to get you through that boring book if you don't have a good reason to read it (and conversely, very high motivation probably won't get you there if you lack all willpower).
Some examples of use:
“I characterize boredom as a deficiency in self-regulation,” Danckert [a cognitive neuro-scientist who studies boredom] says.
—Maggie Koerth-Baker, "Why Boredom Is Anything but Boring", Scientific American, January 18, 2016
Boredom in the Classroom: Addressing Student Motivation, Self-Regulation, and Engagement in Learning
—Gayle L. Macklem, SpringerBriefs in Psychology, 2015
Many important learning tasks feel uninteresting and tedious to learners. This research proposed that promoting a prosocial, self-transcendent purpose could improve academic self-regulation on such tasks.
—David S. Yeager et al., "Boring but Important: A Self-Transcendent Purpose for Learning Fosters
Academic Self-Regulation", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014, Vol. 107, No. 4, 559 –580 (quote is from the abstract; full PDF here)
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
Boredom has many aspects and as such can have more than one "opposite" concepts that would fit in your example sentence. Consider for example:
It takes a lot of concentration to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
vs.:
It takes a lot of curiosity to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
or:
It takes a lot of stamina to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
Boredom has many aspects and as such can have more than one "opposite" concepts that would fit in your example sentence. Consider for example:
It takes a lot of concentration to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
vs.:
It takes a lot of curiosity to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
or:
It takes a lot of stamina to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
Boredom has many aspects and as such can have more than one "opposite" concepts that would fit in your example sentence. Consider for example:
It takes a lot of concentration to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
vs.:
It takes a lot of curiosity to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
or:
It takes a lot of stamina to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
Boredom has many aspects and as such can have more than one "opposite" concepts that would fit in your example sentence. Consider for example:
It takes a lot of concentration to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
vs.:
It takes a lot of curiosity to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
or:
It takes a lot of stamina to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring.
answered Dec 2 at 16:27
michael.hor257k
10.7k41636
10.7k41636
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
"It takes a lot of perseverance to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring."
[Merriam-Webster]
: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition : the action or condition or an instance of persevering : STEADFASTNESS
// She will always be fondly remembered for her perseverance and determination with a 'never give up' attitude.
— Hartford Courant, courant.com, "Ann Kelly," 14 July 2018
Note that perseverance applies to overcoming more things than just boredom. But I am unaware of any word that specifically means perseverance in the face of boredom.
Courage might specifically mean perseverance in the face of fear, but courage can also apply to an action that lasts for mere seconds. When spending hours reading a boring book, it's the quality of sustained effort that's relevant. Even if reading a few pages is a chore, you can't really be said to have perseverance (or overcome your boredom) if you give up after those few pages.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
"It takes a lot of perseverance to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring."
[Merriam-Webster]
: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition : the action or condition or an instance of persevering : STEADFASTNESS
// She will always be fondly remembered for her perseverance and determination with a 'never give up' attitude.
— Hartford Courant, courant.com, "Ann Kelly," 14 July 2018
Note that perseverance applies to overcoming more things than just boredom. But I am unaware of any word that specifically means perseverance in the face of boredom.
Courage might specifically mean perseverance in the face of fear, but courage can also apply to an action that lasts for mere seconds. When spending hours reading a boring book, it's the quality of sustained effort that's relevant. Even if reading a few pages is a chore, you can't really be said to have perseverance (or overcome your boredom) if you give up after those few pages.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
"It takes a lot of perseverance to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring."
[Merriam-Webster]
: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition : the action or condition or an instance of persevering : STEADFASTNESS
// She will always be fondly remembered for her perseverance and determination with a 'never give up' attitude.
— Hartford Courant, courant.com, "Ann Kelly," 14 July 2018
Note that perseverance applies to overcoming more things than just boredom. But I am unaware of any word that specifically means perseverance in the face of boredom.
Courage might specifically mean perseverance in the face of fear, but courage can also apply to an action that lasts for mere seconds. When spending hours reading a boring book, it's the quality of sustained effort that's relevant. Even if reading a few pages is a chore, you can't really be said to have perseverance (or overcome your boredom) if you give up after those few pages.
"It takes a lot of perseverance to read that book. I couldn't read it because it was so boring."
[Merriam-Webster]
: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition : the action or condition or an instance of persevering : STEADFASTNESS
// She will always be fondly remembered for her perseverance and determination with a 'never give up' attitude.
— Hartford Courant, courant.com, "Ann Kelly," 14 July 2018
Note that perseverance applies to overcoming more things than just boredom. But I am unaware of any word that specifically means perseverance in the face of boredom.
Courage might specifically mean perseverance in the face of fear, but courage can also apply to an action that lasts for mere seconds. When spending hours reading a boring book, it's the quality of sustained effort that's relevant. Even if reading a few pages is a chore, you can't really be said to have perseverance (or overcome your boredom) if you give up after those few pages.
answered Dec 2 at 15:07
Jason Bassford
15k31941
15k31941
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Psychologists might talk about this in terms of (behavioral or academic) self-regulation (see Wikipedia), which is the ability to make ourselves do things we'd rather not (or stop ourselves doing things we'd rather). It's not limited to boredom, though; you also need self-regulation to overcome distaste or anxiety, as well as to avoid temptation.
Two highly relevant components of self-regulation are motivation and self-control or willpower. It might sound like the latter is the same thing as self-regulation, but all the willpower in the world isn't going to get you through that boring book if you don't have a good reason to read it (and conversely, very high motivation probably won't get you there if you lack all willpower).
Some examples of use:
“I characterize boredom as a deficiency in self-regulation,” Danckert [a cognitive neuro-scientist who studies boredom] says.
—Maggie Koerth-Baker, "Why Boredom Is Anything but Boring", Scientific American, January 18, 2016
Boredom in the Classroom: Addressing Student Motivation, Self-Regulation, and Engagement in Learning
—Gayle L. Macklem, SpringerBriefs in Psychology, 2015
Many important learning tasks feel uninteresting and tedious to learners. This research proposed that promoting a prosocial, self-transcendent purpose could improve academic self-regulation on such tasks.
—David S. Yeager et al., "Boring but Important: A Self-Transcendent Purpose for Learning Fosters
Academic Self-Regulation", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014, Vol. 107, No. 4, 559 –580 (quote is from the abstract; full PDF here)
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Psychologists might talk about this in terms of (behavioral or academic) self-regulation (see Wikipedia), which is the ability to make ourselves do things we'd rather not (or stop ourselves doing things we'd rather). It's not limited to boredom, though; you also need self-regulation to overcome distaste or anxiety, as well as to avoid temptation.
Two highly relevant components of self-regulation are motivation and self-control or willpower. It might sound like the latter is the same thing as self-regulation, but all the willpower in the world isn't going to get you through that boring book if you don't have a good reason to read it (and conversely, very high motivation probably won't get you there if you lack all willpower).
Some examples of use:
“I characterize boredom as a deficiency in self-regulation,” Danckert [a cognitive neuro-scientist who studies boredom] says.
—Maggie Koerth-Baker, "Why Boredom Is Anything but Boring", Scientific American, January 18, 2016
Boredom in the Classroom: Addressing Student Motivation, Self-Regulation, and Engagement in Learning
—Gayle L. Macklem, SpringerBriefs in Psychology, 2015
Many important learning tasks feel uninteresting and tedious to learners. This research proposed that promoting a prosocial, self-transcendent purpose could improve academic self-regulation on such tasks.
—David S. Yeager et al., "Boring but Important: A Self-Transcendent Purpose for Learning Fosters
Academic Self-Regulation", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014, Vol. 107, No. 4, 559 –580 (quote is from the abstract; full PDF here)
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Psychologists might talk about this in terms of (behavioral or academic) self-regulation (see Wikipedia), which is the ability to make ourselves do things we'd rather not (or stop ourselves doing things we'd rather). It's not limited to boredom, though; you also need self-regulation to overcome distaste or anxiety, as well as to avoid temptation.
Two highly relevant components of self-regulation are motivation and self-control or willpower. It might sound like the latter is the same thing as self-regulation, but all the willpower in the world isn't going to get you through that boring book if you don't have a good reason to read it (and conversely, very high motivation probably won't get you there if you lack all willpower).
Some examples of use:
“I characterize boredom as a deficiency in self-regulation,” Danckert [a cognitive neuro-scientist who studies boredom] says.
—Maggie Koerth-Baker, "Why Boredom Is Anything but Boring", Scientific American, January 18, 2016
Boredom in the Classroom: Addressing Student Motivation, Self-Regulation, and Engagement in Learning
—Gayle L. Macklem, SpringerBriefs in Psychology, 2015
Many important learning tasks feel uninteresting and tedious to learners. This research proposed that promoting a prosocial, self-transcendent purpose could improve academic self-regulation on such tasks.
—David S. Yeager et al., "Boring but Important: A Self-Transcendent Purpose for Learning Fosters
Academic Self-Regulation", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014, Vol. 107, No. 4, 559 –580 (quote is from the abstract; full PDF here)
Psychologists might talk about this in terms of (behavioral or academic) self-regulation (see Wikipedia), which is the ability to make ourselves do things we'd rather not (or stop ourselves doing things we'd rather). It's not limited to boredom, though; you also need self-regulation to overcome distaste or anxiety, as well as to avoid temptation.
Two highly relevant components of self-regulation are motivation and self-control or willpower. It might sound like the latter is the same thing as self-regulation, but all the willpower in the world isn't going to get you through that boring book if you don't have a good reason to read it (and conversely, very high motivation probably won't get you there if you lack all willpower).
Some examples of use:
“I characterize boredom as a deficiency in self-regulation,” Danckert [a cognitive neuro-scientist who studies boredom] says.
—Maggie Koerth-Baker, "Why Boredom Is Anything but Boring", Scientific American, January 18, 2016
Boredom in the Classroom: Addressing Student Motivation, Self-Regulation, and Engagement in Learning
—Gayle L. Macklem, SpringerBriefs in Psychology, 2015
Many important learning tasks feel uninteresting and tedious to learners. This research proposed that promoting a prosocial, self-transcendent purpose could improve academic self-regulation on such tasks.
—David S. Yeager et al., "Boring but Important: A Self-Transcendent Purpose for Learning Fosters
Academic Self-Regulation", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014, Vol. 107, No. 4, 559 –580 (quote is from the abstract; full PDF here)
answered Dec 2 at 18:08
1006a
19.8k33585
19.8k33585
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johnny is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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1
Superficially, your example implies the problem lies in the fact that the book itself is boring, in which case the reluctant reader is simply "normal" (normal people aren't interested in doing or reading things that are boring). But pragmatically we should assume that's just the reluctant reader's excuse for failing to read the book, so how about It takes a lot of focus to read that book. I couldn't read it because I have the attention span of a goldfish.
– FumbleFingers
Dec 2 at 13:07
If courage conquers fear, perhaps curiosity conquers boredom.
– Dan
Dec 2 at 13:19
@FumbleFingers Focus doesn't belong in the same class as courage. Focus is what boredom saps - it's hard to stay focused when bored.
– johnny
Dec 2 at 14:25