The image was created by David Torcivia.
The first time Sorkin ever wrote for fun, he talked about it on the Bill Simmons show. After college, Sorkin wrote for fun. It is insane. He is responsible for many movies and TV shows, including A Few Good Men, The American President, The West Wing, The Social Network, and The Newsroom. He got there because he was bored, and he is a screenwriting royalty.
The first time Sorkin wrote for fun, he wrote dialogue. He said something. 1985 is the year. There isn’t any of the other apps. The internet and the phone are still in their infancy. The studio apartment was shared by Sorkin. He wasn’t invited to any of his friends’ parties. He had $3 in his pocket, but the tv and stereo were broken. It was not interesting. There was a typewriter and blank pieces of paper in the apartment.
Think about that. Moneyball, Charlie Wilson’s War, and Sports Night could have been boring. I loved it, I stayed up all night writing and I feel like that night has never ended.
People are not starting things. They put the article, book, or screenplay on the shelf until they have time to do it. They never feel like they have the time because they are constantly keeping themselves from being bored.
It is easy to see what Sorkin is talking about when he says there are too many easy boredom killers. We live in a time when everything is trying to get our attention. Billions of dollars are spent by companies to steal more time. It might be time to use your boredom to feed your creativity.
Being bored gives you the chance to be creative. We need to sit alone with our thoughts and challenge ourselves. If you’re bored, reach for that blank piece of paper. You can find the stories that are hidden inside of you.
Our culture doesn’t make it easy for us. It is easy to see what Sorkin is talking about. There is a pressure to not be bored. Being bored for a lot of people is terrifying because of the social pressure to be living your best life.
I wonder what kind of works of art are we missing out on because people refuse to let themselves be bored, because a working TV or stereo could have robbed us of some of the most exceptional dialogue in television and movie history.