[at-l] Boredom (was Bryson's book)

[orangebug74@yahoo.com (Orange Bug)]

Interesting treatise, but I'd question your diagnostic skills. For your
friend, it sounds as if he has "hyperfocus" or a lack of inattention.
He was focused on his walk and his goal, but not on observing wildlife.
He was looking ahead on the trail, not scanning side to side.

And "insanity" hardly matches through hikers. Obsessive and
hyperfocued, maybe. Psychotic, not likely - as organization and focus
with reality orientation to the task at hand is required. For instance,
the ability to recognize that pain has delivered a message that
requires ER visits and demands zero days implies some level of
obsession after the first ER visit. The ability to finally get the
point and take the zero days shows the ability to deal with reality and
set appropriate priorities, even if defensive about making up missed
miles. The ability to dissociate and maintain denial of boredom or
other human and universal emotions shows continueing focus on the
priorities, much like most mothers who seem to never recall the pains
of labor.

Bill....

--- Jim and/or Ginny Owen <spiriteagle99@hotmail.com> wrote:
> ...  For example, we walked through Baxter and summited Katahdin
> with a friend who was on his second thruhike and had never seen a
> moose.  As we passed one of the ponds in Baxter, I was amazed to
> see him walk within 20 yards of a huge bull moose - without noticing
> the animal.  I had to call it to his attention or he'd have finished
> a second thruhike without ever seeing a moose.  It's amazing how
> common this "lack of attention" can be.
>

__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! News - Today's headlines
http://news.yahoo.com