We often confuse our personal responses with ... - Dhamma by Ajahn Jayasāro

We often confuse our personal responses with an awareness of objective reality. When we complain that something is boring what we really mean is that we are bored by it. When we criticize something for being offensive what we really mean is that we are offended by it. If we understand that there is something out there which is boring or offensive then it seems inevitable that we should be bored or offended. But if we see the feeling of being bored or offended as being conditioned not only by the experience itself but also our response to it, then it becomes clear that there is something we are doing to construct these feelings that we have chosen to do and don't have to.

The mind that is easily bored is usually one that is addicted to stimulation, or too coarse to appreciate the subtleties of the objects it experiences. The mind that is easily offended is one attached to ideas of right and wrong. Wise people seek to eliminate these faults.

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