ennui

ennui is a good word, a french word, a fun word to say. what it means is not particularly good though. Here, I will let Julie Neidlinger fill you in.

Ennui: (n.) a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest; boredom, weariness, dissatisfaction

I can’t say that I’m bored, which ennui tends to mean. I have more than enough to do; I rarely get bored. I associate the word, for some reason, with a kind of depression or dullness not stemming from any obvious source, a sort of permanent state of being down, even in “good” times.

the question is are we in this country at this time in history more prone to ennui than others in the world or others who came before us here? Is ennui a natural by product of living in this country where we have constant busyness and stimulation, but no real fear of starvation and death?

Why does this feeling of world weariness seem to permeate our lives? or is it just me?

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0 Responses to ennui

  1. julie says:

    it is not just you. it is at least me, too. i have wondered the same thing recently. is it something permeating the Christian community? just 40 somethings? or just us. glad to have a word for it, though…..not that I’ll remember it!

  2. karen says:

    It’s not just you two,….and it’s not just 40 somethings…and I don’t know if it is permeating ALL of the Christian community but it is seems to be dominant in this country currently. What is the word for breaking out of ennui?

  3. charissa says:

    great definition for ennui. Todd and I are afflicted. lots to do but just want to quit. all the time. I don’t know a word (or a method) for “breaking out of ennui” but I wish I did.

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