Boredom and the Ego

Complaints in general are an interesting phenomena, but one in particular continues to captivate me: "There's nothing to do around here!". Frustration is understandable — when there are, in fact, very few things to do — but sometimes people will turn this frustration into an eternal lament, reminding others of their annoyance at every opportunity, like the underground man with a toothache. No longer a simple frustration, it becomes a standard, held high above everyone else: the very statement "there's nothing to do" makes a value claim on your surroundings, deeming them "unworthy" of your interest. It would be dangerous to associate oneself with a specific event or location anyway, it makes you part of a larger group — and everyone wants to be a unique individual. So, perhaps there's a bit of pride involved, but maybe it's even simpler: assuming "there's nothing to do" frees you from having to look in the first place (and it's so much easier to complain).