PROPELLED

A look at the possible upsides of negative emotional states.

University of Louisville associate philosophy professor Elpidorou’s intriguing new book looks at not only the inevitability of so-called negative emotions—such as boredom, frustration, and anticipation—but also their worth and even the advantages that they can bestow. Human existence involves both ups and downs, he says, and temporary negative emotions are a necessary part of leading a meaningful life: “Life requires failures and pains just as much as it demands successes and pleasures,” he writes. Elpidorou takes readers through comprehensive breakdowns of what boredom and frustration truly are, using clear examples and an open, engaging prose style to shows how they’ve been viewed by various philosophers, psychologists, and authors over the years. He also effectively addresses how such emotions alter how people experience the passage of time. This latter aspect turns out to be a key element of the book’s analysis, because this time-warping effect also helps to foster a feeling of stagnation. Even so, the author argues, such states “contain the potential to liberate us.” In every section of every chapter, Elpidorou is rigorously thoughtful and quotably readable as he discusses unpalatable emotions that most people want to avoid. At one point, for instance, he notes that “Boredom emphasizes what it disrupts or takes away. It forces us to see things anew.” The cumulative effect is a strong and ultimately persuasive case that when life gives you lemons, you should simply value the lemons—a counterintuitive argument, to be sure, but one that the author convincingly backs up over the course of his book.

A smart and thought-provoking reassessment of the value of boredom and frustration.