What if you don't want to write about what you know?

"They" always say to write what you know.  I've always wondered, what if you had a really boring life?  What if you don't want to write about the everyday happenings of your neighbors and how you're sure your boss hates you because he gave you the worst assignment ever?  

Personally, I've always been more interested in reading suspense stories and that's what I enjoy writing.  Have I ever met someone in the FBI?  No.  But I sure do like reading stories about them.  For me, writing is about the art of pretend, and if you write well enough, the audience shouldn't ever know that I'm not a part of the FBI myself.  I don't know if I'm THAT good, but I'm certainly trying.

This whole writing what you know would cut a lot of stuff out of my book, and that's not even counting jobs that I don't participate in myself.  

I think writing is more about writing on the human condition and emotions that everyone experiences.  Those are the things we should know about when we write.  Our characters should feel like real people even if they are in outrageous, highly suspect situations.  How many people really suffer from amnesia?  My guess is not nearly as many as authors write about and actors portray...but if we can grab ahold of the emotions that person might be going through, that's the key to a good, dynamic story.