Page 6 - Middle Georgia State University - Knighted 2019

Null and Void: Filling the Emptiness in Feed
Sara Kathryn Smith

Matthew Tobin Anderson’s novel Feed is a social commentary on the relationship
between teenagers and excessive technological use. It is also a commentary on emptiness. The
main character, Titus, believes he is bored. To end his boredom, he fills his life with activities.
However, Titus’ actions and circumstances show he is not merely bored; he is empty. Titus
mistakes his emptiness for boredom because his society has set him up to believe it is so. By
understanding boredom and what Titus believes is a synonym for it, the reader can understand
how and why Titus is empty. His parents have failed to be emotionally present. His education is
based on navigating the feed. His society has peddled consumerism to fill the void.
Understanding a single word can unlock the meaning behind the story. Technology cannot
satisfy a human soul.

Boredom is a psychological experience, so a psychological definition is necessary. One
research article on boredom defines the emotion as “a negative state of mind that reflects an
inner conflict between expected optimal and perceived experiences” (Lin et al. 994). They
believe a misalignment between expectation and reality is a cause of boredom. An Italian
research group adds onto this perspective with their definition of leisure boredom. They quote an
earlier study from 1990 by Iso-Ahola and Weissinger, saying “leisure boredom is the subjective
perception that the free experiences available to an individual are not sufficiently frequent,
engaging, exciting, varied, or original” (Biolcati 304). Essentially, boredom results when a
person wants to participate in an activity that either does not meet their internal ideal or is not
offered as an option.

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