Comedian Des Bishop has a great bit about mindfulness. He says in the '80s, we just called it boredom.
It’s funny because it’s true. Back then, we had space to just…be. No dopamine drip. No infinite scroll. Just you, your thoughts, and maybe a cloud to stare at.
But Des is doing more than making us laugh. He’s holding up a mirror. And what we see in that mirror? It’s not so funny anymore.
We’re raising a generation that doesn’t get bored-they get anxious. They’re not just distracted-they’re drowning. In The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt lays it bare. We replaced play with phones. Stillness with stimulation. And now we’re watching the fallout in real time.
When a kid stares into space today, we don’t think they’re daydreaming. We wonder if they’re okay.
Schools are trying. Counselors are maxed out. Parents are searching for answers.
And yes, mindfulness apps are fine. But when they show up, it’s already late.
If we want to change the trajectory, we can’t keep reacting. We need tools that show us risk before it becomes crisis. We need infrastructure that sees what kids can’t say.
Boredom used to be free. Now, it’s been replaced by burnout.
There’s nothing funny about that.
If we want to give kids more great days, we need to catch the signals earlier, act smarter, and work together.
Watch the clip. Laugh. Then let it land.