 Absent-mindedness can also lead to bad grades at school, boredom, and depression.The absent-minded professor is a stock character often depicted in fictional works, usually as a talented academic whose focus on academic matters leads them to ignore or forget their surroundings.This stereotypical view can be traced back as far as the philosopher Thales, who it is said, "walked at night with his eyes focused on the heavens and, as a result, fell down a well".