Netflix and the rise of binge-watching culture can be consuming, so I took a break from it
In the age of media streaming, online programming like Netflix is changing the way people enjoy entertainment. With online services like Crave TV and Crackle on the rise with subscribers, it’s fascinating how a large TV set has been slimmed down into a tiny app in our laptops and phones; essential life tools that are needed to connect us to almost everything.
Netflix in particular has become a household name since its original idea of shipping DVDs to the doors of millions. In 2016, it almost seems like a privilege to be able to enjoy an endless amount of content for a modest monthly fee. However, it can prove a bit too addicting as Netflix’s strategy of offering complete series gives people a bigger reason to stay glued to their content daily.
According to Netflix’s most recent quarterly earnings, the company has over 81.5 million subscribers globally and a revenue of $6.1 billion in 2015.
To binge anything, is to indulge consecutively. A term coined for watching a movie or show in an extended sitting, the verb binge-watching was named “Word of the Year” in 2015 by Collins dictionary.
To see how big and bad Netflix was in my life, I went cold-turkey and stopped watching it for one month—it was hell.
A large activity in my day was gone, and I kept wondering to myself what I could do to pass those long hours. Rather than watching Daredevil beat the living piss out of criminals while melting in bed, I decided to set out and build my own story. I reconnected with my friends instead of my favorite characters, and episodes became long days of going to different places.
Going back into Netflix, a list of unfinished shows welcomed me back with open arms. I felt more immersed into a series by giving myself time off the app to process what went down in-between episodes, rather than clicking on the next episode and wondering if I had watched the series from start to finish.
Try going binge-free on Netflix. Binge on alternative adventures and you’ll surprise yourself at how much better it is when you watch your shows.
