edythe

"In the late 1930s psychologist Joseph Barmack of the City College of New York was among the first to study boredom’s basis in a laboratory setting. He proposed that boredom is a sleeplike feeling, and he found that stimulants—a trio of amphetamines, ephedrine and caffeine—reduced reports of fatigue, sleepiness, inattention and boredom during repetitive tasks, such as adding up a series of large numbers. Giving money to his student subjects also seemed to pique their interest, suggesting the tiresome feelings were a combination of low arousal and insufficient motivation." - edythe via Bookmarklet

"Barmack also discovered that providing students with unlimited access to central nervous system stimulants such as cocaine, in addition to vast amounts of money, almost completely elimininated feelings of ennui and lethargy. These students also experienced an increase in libido and subsquent sexual activity. Some of them went on to invent a new form of music based on subtonic and mediant chords accompanied by syncopated drumming, which they curiously referred to as 'rock and roll.'" - Karim

oh, karim. but, hey, money and speed--that's all it takes to remain interested! - edythe