The Sirens' Call

In Chapter 3, Hayes returns to the myth of Odysseus to explore a paradox at the heart of the human condition: our simultaneous desire for distraction and our inability to sit quietly with our own thoughts. He begins by revisiting a detail from the Odyssey—Circe’s instruction that Odysseus bind himself to the mast rather than plugging his own ears—arguing that this plan was designed precisely because he would crave the Sirens’ song. In other words, the myth reveals that the pleasure of being drawn in by an alluring stimulus is inseparable from our deeper need for diversion, even when that diversion may ultimately lead us into peril.

Hayes connects this ancient narrative to a modern dilemma. He cites a 2014 study from the University of Virginia, which found that when subjects were left alone with their thoughts for six to fifteen minutes, they not only disliked the experience but many even opted for unpleasant distractions such as self-administered electric shocks. This experiment illustrates that our discomfort with idleness is not merely a modern phenomenon—it is deeply rooted in our psychology. The chapter suggests that our constant craving for stimulation, whether through smartphones or other diversions, is a response to an underlying spiritual and existential angst.