Ambition Quote by Saul Bellow
““After much effort to live up to a glorious standard there came fatigue, wan hope, and boredom. I experienced extreme boredom. I saw others experiencing it too, many denying, by the way, that any such thing existed. And finally I decided that I would make boredom my subject matter. That I'd study it. That I'd become the world's leading authority on it. March, that was a red-letter day for humanity. What a field! What a domain! Titanic! Promethean! I trembled before it. I was inspired. I couldn't sleep. Ideas came in the night and I wrote them down, volumes of them. Strange that no one had gone after this systematically. Oh, melancholy, yes, but not modern boredom.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Humboldt's Gift by Saul Bellow, 1975
The author describes boredom as a profound, pervasive condition, decides to study it obsessively, treating it as a grand, heroic endeavor.
In simple terms: Boredom is explored as a serious, almost heroic subject.
Key Takeaway
Treat boredom as a topic for deep inquiry.
Themes
boredom
existentialism
obsession
creativity
Mood
introspective
serious
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- academic research
- personal reflection
- mental health practice
Key Concepts
psychology
philosophy
literature
Questions to Reflect On
- Can boredom be productive?
- When does boredom become a problem?
A Different Perspective
The glorification may overlook boredom's harmful effects.
