The “rawdogging boredom” trend is getting more extreme. Gen Z is still posting time-lapses of themselves doing absolutely nothing—no devices, no music, no snacks—just as we reported in November. But on TikTok, the challenges are pushing even further. One college student is working toward 24 hours of uninterrupted boredom, while a 24-year-old mindfulness app founder simply sat on a plastic stool for 8 hours straight. (And yes, they’re still filming it for content, but we won’t revisit the irony.) There’s some neuroscience backing up doing nothing as a focus tool, with researchers saying it activates the brain’s default-mode network, described as a “creativity launching pad” for reflection. Not everyone’s sold, though—one boredom researcher called the challenge “misguided.” But for a generation averaging 6.5 hours of daily phone time, it’s clearly a bit of a wakeup call . (NYT)
👀 Read more from YPulse: Gen Z is “Rawdogging Boredom” on The Viral List
