The quote from Saul Bellow’s "Humboldt's Gift" suggests that boredom serves as a means of maintaining social order. It implies that those in power can manipulate boredom to keep people stagnant, creating an environment where individuals feel trapped in a mundane existence. This control over boredom becomes a tool for the ruling class to impose their will on society, generating a sense of helplessness among individuals who are forced to endure tedium.

Bellow highlights the darker aspects of boredom, suggesting that the experience is more profound when intertwined with feelings of anguish and existential dread. This deeper boredom is not merely an absence of excitement but is tinged with anxiety and the ever-present specter of mortality. The notion underscores that profound boredom can lead to a sense of despair, making it a potent form of control that extends beyond the mere lack of stimulation.