It is basic human nature – the desire for novelty. It isn’t exactly correct to define it as a search to belay boredom but let me paint you a picture.
We are always looking for something new and novel. And in this search things will inevitably escalate. What was novel to you for a while soon becomes mundane. So you look for something that is a little bit more. The border is pushed.
Another easy way to define this would be violence in movies. They used to never show blood in movies. After a while they showed it. And now…. the violence is really out of control and extremely graphic. This is because in order to elevate your emotions you need to be pushed a little bit farther.
And this brings me to the ennui of elitism.
What happens if you are extremely wealthy?
Well this spiraling of novelty extends beyond movies and reaches into real life. If you can buy or get anything you want when will it end?
It never ends it just gets more graphic and even preposterous. For a while you want more lavish homes, bigger homes, more homes, fancy cars, more expensive accoutrements, bigger yachts and so on and so on.
But, after a while that too will wear off and you start looking for new ways to titillate yourself. And these things can be very harmful to others. But after all, you have a right to these very disturbing things. You are better than them. You deserve these things.
I think the elites really need to read Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning“. (Amazon affiliate link to the book)
Do not look to others with contempt. Look to the others with compassion. And look for anything possible to help.- Viktor Frankl