Yes, I'm still watching.

 

(Netflix. Netflix. 18 Aug. 2020.)

When it comes to technology, today’s generation is all too familiar with its advances. Yet, one component of change seems to have grasped the attention of all age groups in a massive way. Netflix, founded in 1997, is a streaming application that is in use by most individuals around the world. Anyone who has a smartphone, laptop, computer, tablet, or smart television, can access their Netflix account in seconds wherever they are. Since we live in a time in which society is overstimulated, we have grown uncomfortable being alone or sitting in silence with ourselves. Netflix thrives off of this anxious feeling, and offers different types of media to fill the void one is craving so hard to. With just the click of a button, one can be watching a movie, tv series, or documentary. Soon enough our interests become a part of who we are. The characters and plots of our favorite entertainment source allow us to escape our own lives.

 (Fox. Fox video still. 11 Apr. 2018.)

            For instance, my favorite show at the moment is New Girl. Whenever I have free time, I find myself leaning on Netflix as a source for this entertainment. Then comes the binge watching. New Girl has seven seasons made up of twenty-three-minute episodes. It is easy for me to get caught up into the plot, and say to myself, “I have time for just one more episode.” Yet, this isn’t always the case. At times I find myself prioritizing the next episode over other deadlines I have, due to the fact that it is so readily accessible. I don’t have to wait for the next episode to come out in a week, in order to figure out what happens, I have the next few seasons right in the palm of my hand.

            Everything in life has its positive and negatives. Netflix, on one hand, entertains the public and even brings people together through their favorite shows or movies. On the other hand, old time video stores that we once grew up with, like “Blockbuster,” now find themselves out of business. Companies like Blockbuster didn’t have a chance to survive, once the use of DVD’s and VHS’ came to a halt. The world of streaming and immediate happiness is upon us, and society will only continue to feed off of it.

 

Sources:

Fox. Fox video still. 11 Apr. 2018.

Netflix. Netflix. 18 Aug. 2020.

Ruffin, Brooke. "Worth the Risk: Netflix Changes Generations." High Point University, 13 Oct. 2020, High Point. Speech.