These 48 Mildly Interesting Pics Are Actually Pretty Intriguing

Some people are sensation seekers by nature. It's natural to crave new and exciting things, to want to go on epic adventures, and to discover as much as life has to offer. Psychologist Marvin Zuckerman describes sensation seeking as a personality trait. He says that thrill seekers want novel, complex, and intense experiences no matter their physical, social, or legal risks.

The most extreme examples of sensation seeking are extreme sports. Activities like skydiving, bungee jumping, rock or mountain climbing all are pretty high-risk, yet some people do them exactly for that adrenaline rush. For some people, however, a new experience like taking a dance class can be equally exhilarating and also counts as sensation seeking.

Thrill-seeking serves an important evolutionary purpose. Without having the courage and being driven to venture into the unknown, human beings would still be in the dark about a lot of things. Without such people, we wouldn't know what lies at the bottom of the ocean, what's on the highest mountain peaks on Earth, and we probably wouldn't be able to fly to other countries in a matter of hours.

Sensation seeking is different from simply taking risks. Psychologists say that risk-taking is all about the physical, social, legal, or even financial dangers. Sensation seeking, on the contrary, is about novelty, unearthing new things and experiences despite the dangers that they present.

Zuckerman emphasizes how important it is for our society to have people of both types: high and low sensation seekers. "You need people to keep the books and make laws and have families, and you need your adventurers like Columbus to explore and find excitement," he explains.

Sometimes, finding joy in moderately interesting things is fine as well. In the age of social media where we're bombarded with superlatives, FOMO, and sometimes unrealistic expectations, it can be hard to enjoy the simpler things in life. St. Lawrence University professor Art J. Clark, Ed.D. writes that when we find joy in everyday objects and experiences, we're more appreciative and are more content in our existence.

If we're looking for things to contribute to our sense of well-being, Clark recommends some simple everyday activities. Smelling flowers, having a conversation with a friend, going for a walk, helping a person in need, or observing a baby's smile are all things that can bring us a sense of contentment and don't involve any risk-taking.

"Most individuals are capable of appreciating the simple pleasures in life; however, it is easy to overlook or fail to notice the possibility of these small joys," according to Clark. "What brings delight varies for each person, but opportunities to appreciate life's simple pleasures are at hand when open to the possibilities."

But how can we do that? How can we notice small things that might be interesting? Jason Womack, author of Your Best Just Got Better: Work Smarter, Think Bigger, Make More, has some suggestions. For example, he writes, carry a camera with you wherever you go. Womack claims that it's a nice way to be more in tune with the environment you're in. A camera, according to him, can be a reminder that there is more to see if you stop to see it.

Womack also recommends staying in touch with people. And not just asking them how they're doing or reaching out when you want something from them, but texting someone after you've seen a movie or read a book that you think they'd like or that made you think of them during. That way, you can show people you care about them and pay attention to what they're going through.

According to Womack, our days are essentially made up of 100 15-minute intervals. 15 minutes, Womack says, is the ideal period of time to hold our focus for us to either work effectively or notice the small things around us. Set a timer once a day for 15 minutes and observe your environment. Who knows, maybe you too will notice something mildly interesting?

We're big fans of all things that are interesting here at Bored Panda. We love interesting facts, fascinating history, and awe-inspiring details in art. But if this list has left you hungry for some more moderately interesting pics, you can see our previous posts from the Mildly Interesting subreddit here, here, and over here!

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