what are the politics of boredom?

that's what was written on the banner Malcolm McLaren hung above the stage at the first New York Dolls gig. it's a worthwhile question. as i get older and recognize certain patterns in myself, i'm even more convinced that boredom is at the heart of so many evils. when i'm bored i get depressed, when i get depressed i drink and can't sleep, when i drink and can't sleep i get panic attacks. when i'm bored i hate the things i love and hate even more the things i already hate. the crux of our society, i think, is the organization of boredom, whether through diversionary commodities or meaningless labor. it's a self-perpetuating cycle of course, as the fleeting charms of products and socially-sanctioned activities breed a neurotic, compulsive need for more products and activities, more shiny, consumable image-identities to be bought, worn once, and discarded like a tacky prom dress. i'm startled that most of the people around me are more concerned with playing the part of their lifestyle archetype than doing anything with it, i.e. people in bands who are much more adept at "being a person in a band" than they are at writing a memorable song. we're a society of actors, and i live in the city of actors, and i'm a little bit sick of it.