Toogle Conversion

151.Boredomamusesonlyitscritics.Theystruggleagainsttheirownlassitudetokeeptheirindignationuptodate.TheodorAdorno:"Theteamsofmodernsport,whoseinteractionissopreciselyregulatedthatnomemberhasanydoubtabouthisrole,andwhichprov ideareserveforeveryplayer,havetheirexactcounterpartinthesexualteamsofJuliette,whichemployeverymomentusefully,neglectnohumanorifice,andcarryouteveryfunction.Intensive,purposefulactivityprevailsinspiritineverybranchofmasscul ture,whiletheinadequatelyinitiatedspectatorcannotdivinethedifferenceinthecombinations,orthemeaningofvariations,bythearbitrarilydeterminedrules."Ingamespace,porno,likesport,nowhasitsstarpitchersandhitters,specialistsforever yposition,andtheinadequatelyinitiatedspectatoronceagaincannotdivinethedifferenceinthecombinations,orthemeaningofvariations,bythearbitrarilydeterminedrules.Butitisthesametoowithcriticaltheory,whichbecomesformallyindistingui shablefrompornography.Thispornographyoftheconceptisameresubsetofgamespace,ahypocriticaltheory,withdifferentspecialists,playingbydifferentrules-equallyworthyofdeSade.152.AspectacletauntsAmerica-thespectacleofitsownboredom." Thisspecterofboredom,anexquisitelybeautifulyoungmanwhoyawnsandwalksaroundwithabutterflynettocatchgoldfish.Hecarriesinhispocketapedometer,apairofnailscissors,apackofcards,andallsortsofgamesbasedonopticalillusions.Hereadsalo udthewordingonpostersandsigns.Heknowsthenewspapersbyheart.Hetellsstoriesthatnobodylaughsat.HepassesahandofshadowsoverhiseyesÉpunctuatinghiswordswithaterribleexpletive:What'sthegood?Hecannotseeaknobonanelectricdialwithouttu rningit,ahousewithoutvisitingit,athresholdwithoutcrossingit,abookwithoutbuyingit.What'sthegood?Allwithoutcuriosityorpleasurebutsimplybecauseonehastodosomething,andbecausehereweareallthesame,afterall.AndwhatwasthisALLwhichs wellsupinthevoicethatpronouncesit?"TheSurrealistpoetLouisAragonprovidestheanswer,aswellasthequestion:nothing.Boredomisnothing,nothingness,thefaintesttouchofthevoid.Inboredomyouopentowardsomethingthatdoesnotopeninreturn.Itl eavesnothingbutindifference,neitheronenortheother,thegrungeoftime,thelintthatstickstoallthingsdigital.153.AsthatinconsolablephilosopherArthurSchopenhauerwrites:"Work,worry,toilandtroubleareindeedthelotofalmostallmentheirwh olelifelong.Andyetifeverydesireweresatisfiedassoonasitarosehowwouldmenoccupytheirlives,howwouldtheypassthetime?Imaginethisracetransportedto[anA]topiawhereeverythinggrowsofitsownaccordandturkeysflyaroundready-roasted,wherel oversfindoneanotherwithoutanydelayandkeeponeanotherwithoutanydifficulty:insuchaplacesomemenwoulddieofboredomorhangthemselves....".Asthistopologyoffunandgamesspreadsandcongeals,carvingoutmagickingdomsindifferenttoworkandsuf fering,itcarrieswithinitthestrangeectoplasmthatbothdrivesitandcanoverturnit-boredom.InourfantasmicAmerica,adigitallogisticssendsturkeysflyingaroundthehighwaysready-roasted.Theycomehometoroostinthefrozenfoodssection.Loversm eetwithfleetingeaseontheinternet,andafterwardsrankandratetheirencounters,accordingtoarbitrarilydeterminedrules.Andmanydo,indeed,dieofboredom.Eveniftheydon'tknowit.Thereservearmiesoftheboredzombietheearth,fiddlingwiththeirc ellphones,checkingtheirwatches.Boredomisthemeterofhistory.154.Ifhistoryisanendlesslistofthingsthatshouldnothavehappened;boredomiswhatrefusesnottohappen.Historydistractsitselfwithheroicfablesaboutthestruggletowrestfreedomfr omnecessity.Suchiscivilization,nottomentionCivilizationIII.Historyhassomuchlesstosayaboutthedecisivemomentwhenfreedomfromnecessityactuallyarrives.Neithercivilization,norCivilizationIII,knowswhattodoattheend,exceptperhapsdr eamofasequelthatismoreofthesame.JohnBerger:"Necessityproducesbothtragedyandcomedy.Itiswhatyoukissandbangyourheadagainst."Withoutnecessity,thestorylinefalters.Buzzcocks:"I'mlivinginthismovie,butitdoesn'tmoveme."Whatmightbet hecontentofthispositivefreedom,notfreedomfrombutfreedomto?Atsuchtimes,thereisnothingbutboredom,thestickylingeringwithnothingnessitself.Thisisthemomentofdanger.CyrilConnolly:"TheboredomofSundayafternoon,whichdrovedeQuinceyt osmokeopium,alsogavebirthtoSurrealism:hourspropitiousformakingbombs."155."Onthewholeasocietyalwaysproducesmorethanisnecessaryforitssurvival;ithasasurplusatitsdisposal.Itispreciselytheuseitmakesofthissurplusthatdeterminesit ."SowritestherogueSurrealistGeorgesBataille.Thissurplusmaybegatheredupanddispersedinspiritualquestsorinmakinglifeoverasaworkofart.Itcanbesquanderedonbombs.Oritcanbeinvestedalongthelinesofstrategicexpansionoreconomicaccumul ation.Thisinvestment,thislayingdownofnewlines,buildingfromtopictotopographytotopology,onlyincreasesthesurplus,andpostponesandmultipliestheproblem:Whattodowiththeidlecapacitiesofapeople?Whattodowithenergiesthatsoeasilyspill overintoriotorrevolt?What'sthegood?Boredomistheambivalentgiftofthesurplus.Boredomarisesoutoftheabsenceofnecessity,ofayes,ano,astraightline.Boredomdemandsnewnecessities,andifnotgrantedthem-producesitsown.Historyisastrugglet owrestnecessityfromboredom.Inthisrestlessage,there'snothingtheywon'tdotoraisethestandardofboredomundertheflagofnecessity.Constantrevolutionizingofseduction,uninterrupteddisturbanceofallconsumerrelations,everlastinguncertai ntyanddistraction,distinguishthemilitaryentertainmentcomplexfromallearlierpowers.Itmuststayonestepaheadofboredom,withwhichitdeludesandwithwhichitcolludes.156.Topologythreadsallspacestogether,caveaftercave,eachasludicrousas thenext.Nowonderpeoplefindtheirleisureasdullastheirwork-leisureiswork.HowtimeschangeÉ.KarlMarx:"Theworking-daycontainsthefull24hours,withthedeductionofthefewhoursofreposewithoutwhichlabor-powerabsolutelyrefusesitsservicesa gainÉTimeforeducation,forintellectualdevelopment,forthefulfillingofsocialfunctionsandforsocialintercourse,forthefree-playofÉbodilyandmentalactivity,eventheresttimeofSunday(andthatinacountryofSabbatarians!)Ñmoonshine!"Butth atmoonshinehasbecomelegitimatebusiness.Thefreetimeavailableforeducation,culture,sport,evenfaith,wereoncethehard-wonfruitsoflabor'sstruggletofreetimefromwork.Thisfreetimegaverisetoheterotopiasofsportandartthatatleastheldthe intoxicatingillusionofautonomyfromthenecessityofwork.Nowtheybecomework,disguisedasgames,justasgamesbecomethedisguiseofworkitself.Thesportingmetaphorsandslogansmigratefromleisuretowork-andbackagain.Theyceasetobemetaphorsand becomemeredescriptions,inalanguagestrippedofanytermsotherthanthoseofcompetition.Almosteverymomentissweptintoarelentlessagon.157.Andasforthoseslacktimesbetweenengagements,whoknowswhattodowiththem?Youaresitting,forexample,in thetastelessdepartureloungeofsomeprovincialairport.Itisfourhoursuntilyourflight,which-ofcourse-isdelayed.Theshopsaroundareuninspiring.Youdohaveabookinyourbackpack.It'sHeidegger,boughtonimpulse.Shallyouread?No.Orthinkthroug hsomeproblem?No.Orplaygamesonyourhandheld?Noteven.Youareunableto.Youlookatthedeparturesandarrivalsonthescreen.Youlookattheclock,again.Youcountthechairs.Youwalkupanddown.Topassthetimeyoulookatthestoresintheairportmall,butth eyallseemmereclonesofeachother,orofstoresinotherchains.Look,thereisevenafranchiseofTheCave(tm)!Youimaginethesatisfactionofthrowingarockthroughtheplateglasswindow.What'sthegood?MartinHeidegger:"Whatisatissueinboredomisawhil e,awhiling,apeculiarremaining,enduringÉ.Aconfrontationwithtime."158.Youaresitting,forexample,atyourPlaystation,withastackofgamestochoosefrom.Theflightwaslongandtedious,andnowyouarehomefree.YouputinStateofEmergency,ifonlyfo rthepleasureofwatchingtheautomatedriotoftwohundrednon-playercharactersransackthemallinwhichthegamebegins.YouchooseChaosratherthanRevolutionmode,soyoucantrashtheplacewithoutworryingaboutmissionsandobjectives.Whilefairlyagre eablebeatspound,youpickupweapons,smashthings,thumpandarethumpedbysecurityandgangbangers,lookingforthemomenttotossthebomb.Still,youarebored.Butthisisadifferentkindofboredom.Attheairport,itwaseasytoblameitonthecircumstances. Now,athomewhereyoucandowhateveryoulike,itisn'tanythingoranyone'sfault.Youputthegameaway,andwonderwhyyouarestill,stillbored.Heideggeragain:"WasIwhatwasboringmyself?"Perhapsitisnotthingsthatareclosedtome,butmyownbeing.159.Th enagain,perhapsitsnotthingsthatareboringyou,norevenyourselfthatisboringyou.Perhapsthereissomethingelse.Somethingyoucan'tputyourfingeron.Youarebored.Whyfightit?Whynotjustdeclareit?IggyPop:"I'mthechairmanofthebored!"Perhapsh ereonecanthinkthrougheverydayboredomtoaboredomofHeideggerianprofundity,andconfronttemporalityitself!Boredomcouldbethetunetowhichoneturnstowardstheory.PhilosopherofboredomLarsSvendsen:"Theessentialdifferencebetweentheboreda ndthe'theoretical'gazeisthattheformeristheresultofaninvoluntarylossofmeaning,whilethetheoreticalgazedeliberatelyremovesit."Startingwiththisevermorepresenteverydayboredom,onemightfollowHeideggeroutofthemallandintothesacredg rovesofacertainbrandoftheory.160.PauseStateofEmergencyandtakethatHeideggerbookthatyouboughtonyourtravelsoutofyourbackpack.Idlyflippingthoughitspages,youfindthatHeidegger'sboredom,strangelyenough,haslevels.Thinkingthroughfr omoneleveltothenextpresents,ashewillsayagainandagain,tasks,tasks,stillmoretasks.Thesetasksareorganizedasamazeofpathsandstillmorepaths.It'salltasksandpaths,tasksandpaths.Tothegimleteyeofthegamer,thistheorystartstolookjustli keanothergame.Levelone:NewbieBoredom.Leveltwo:MoreBoredom.Levelthree:ProfoundBoredom.Bonuslevels:World,Finitude,Solitude.Hisbookisastrategyguidefortheoryasagameofbeing.Agamewhich,likeanyother,positslevelingupasagoalinitsel f,approachingtheever-recedingbigbadbossoftimeitself.Acannymoveforagamertheoryisalwaystorefuseanysuchgamewhichclaimstotranscendgamespace.StepoutsideTheCave(tm)andwhatdoyoufind?Anothercave,disguisedasanexit.BettertoreturntoT heCave(tm),playthegameandtrytofinditsform.BacktoStateofEmergency:it'saboringgameinmanyways,butthatmaybeitscharm.OneimaginesBenjaminandHannahandtheothercharactersonesocarefullycultivatesinTheSimsgettingsoboredtheyjointhemay hem,smashingwindows,lootingbigscreenTVsoftheirdreams.161.Whatifboredomhaslesstodowiththeessenceoftimeandmoretodowithparticularqualitiesofspace?Benjamin(theSim):"Boredomisthebasisoftheallegorithmicinsightintotheworld.Boredo mlayswastetotheappealofthegameasgame,andcallsattentiontotheambiguousrelationofgametogamespace."Boredomisn'talonging,alengtheningoftime.Itisaspaceyfeeling,ofbeingspacedout.Whatisboringisaspaceinwhicheitheronecannotact,orone 'sactionsamounttonothing-waitingatanairportmall,orchoosingonemoreorlessidenticalgameoveranother.Whenyouarebored,evenhomefeelslikeawaitingroom.GangofFour:"Athomeshefeelslikeatourist."Whatdisplacesboredomisthecapacitytoactin awaythattransformsasituation.Itdoesn'tmatterthattheChaosmodeinStateofEmergencyispointless.Itdisplacesabitofthegamer'sboredominamaking-overofgamerandgame,changingthespacethegamercanaccess,extendingtheplaceoftheriotfromtheCa pitolMalltoChinatowntoDowntowntotheCorporateCenter,changingthepowersofthegamertochangethespaceitself.Atleastwithintheconfinesofthegame,atleastforawhile.Whenitstopsworking-bootupanothergame.162.Asthegamerbecomesattunedtothe game,gamerandgamebecomeoneevent,onebattle,oneaction;anoscillatingbetweenthelinedividingselffromother,andthelineconnectingthemasonesubstance.Ifthelinedividingprovidesamomentofautonomousself;thelineconnectingprovidesamomento fselflesspurpose.Ingames,actionhasitslimits.Itisanendlessbit-flipbetweentargeter,targetingandtarget.Andyetatleastiteffectsatransformationofgamerandgame.Gamesarearepositoryforacertainatopianlabor,whichhasthepowertoconfrontt henecessityofitsownchoosing.Gamesdonotofferacontemplativeresponsetoboredom.Ifanything,topologymakeslaboralltoocontemplative.Rather,gamesareaspaceforaction,theyrestorealostqualityofthetopical,whereHomer'sheroesstruttedtheir stuff,intheparadoxicalformofapuretopology.Allthescopeforactionthatgamespacebothpromisesanddeniesisrestoredinthegame.HencethedoubleeffectofStateofEmergency.It'sbackstoryisanallegoryofnegationanddestruction-inthepre-releasev ersion,thebadguyswereevencalledtheAmericanTradeOrganization.Andyetasanallegorithm,itispurposeful,constructive.Theimagesdon'tmatter;thestoryisjustanalibi.Underneathitisagamelikeanyothergame,builtoutofarbitraryrules,butwhich onemakesone'sown.163.ForHeideggeramoveawayfromameditationontimeitselftothinkingabouthowoneactsinaparticularspaceisaretrogradestep,backtoatbesta"higherformofjournalism"oratworsta"fashionablephilosophy",whichsetsoutwhatiscon temporary,butdoesnotmovebeyondthesurfacesofthepresent.Itdivertsyoufromthegameofreflectiononyourownbeingandinsteadassignsyouaroleintheworld.Inthiscase,theroleofthegamer.Heidegger:"Havewebecometooinsignificanttoourselvesthat werequirearole?WhydowefindnomeaningforourselvesanymoreÉ?Isitbecauseanindifferenceyawnsatusoutofallthings,anindifferencewhosegroundswedonotknow?Yetwhocanspeakinsuchawaywhenworldtrade,technologyandtheeconomyseizeholdofmanand keephimmoving?"Perhapsthisispreciselywherethegamerfindsawaytospeak,to'dotheory'(howeverfashionableorjournalistic).Isitnotthisspace-thistopologyoftradeandtech-thatisintimatelyconnectedtothepersistenceandpervasivenessofbored om?164.Boredomnolongeraffectsjusttherestlessyoungortheidlerich.GamespaceoffersnothingtoanybodybuttheSisypheanlaborofrollingtherocktothetop,untilthisarbitrarynecessityabates.Thenwhat?One'sactionsatthecrestofthehillbecomeuse less,indifferent-boring.StateofEmergencyrestoresaroletoac</