Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well they probably mean it would be nice if people were bored enough to be friendly.
That would require a serendipitous level of - sitting next to someone who you get along with and don’t run out of things to talk about for the entire duration of the flight - neither one of you wanting to sleep or do anything else for the duration of the flight either - not caring about the other passengers around you who might also want to sleep
I’m not suggestion you strike up a conversation with your seat partner on a plane, but if you do you don’t have to feel beholden to them.