essay

Binge-watching

Netflix is the provider of an on-demand Internet streaming media available to many viewers. The company was established in 1997 in California (Wikipedia 2015). Binge -watching is a meme, which spread through out Netflix that was created as a result of Netflix’s variety of television shows, which is the practice of watching television for longer time than usual, often at the expense of other responsibilities in a way that can cause guilt. (Wikipedia 2015)

The idea of watching episodes of a television series in order and watching them rapidly, began in the 1980s and is still popular among subscription television outlets in the 2010s. (Wikipedia 2015)

“The usage of the word "binge-watch" can be traced as far back as the late 1990s, when circles of television fandoms used it. It has consisted of watching several episodes of a particular show in a row via DVD sets. (Although theoretically possible with home videotape, very few television shows released episodes to home viewers in that format.) The word's usage was popularized with the advent of on-demand viewing and online streaming. In 2013, the word "exploded" into mainstream use when Netflix started releasing episodes of its serial programming simultaneously” (Wikipedia 2015)

According to a survey conducted by Netflix 73% of people say watching between 2 to 6 episodes is considered binge-watching and 61% reported saying that they binge-watch regularly ()

Meaning that this seems to be the case of many Netflix viewers around the world. When they plan to watch one episode but then after that they get this question “Next episode playing in 12 seconds…” and they get carried away it’s becoming more addictive. Do you watch just one more episode of your favorite TV show or do you do something useful. With only 12 seconds to decide, usually people cannot help it but to continuo watching. If Netflix continuous to give full access 24/7 this will affect their viewers negatively by causing serious health problems and by creating an individualistic society.

A commercial released by Netflix in the year 2013 under the tittle of “watching ahead” which is about a couple and their promise to watch a series together where the wife broke that promise and was caught admitting that she reached season two because she is watching it on her phone and tablet everywhere she goes none stop and she couldn’t help but watch. (YouTube 2013)

This Meme known as “binge-watching” associated with Netflix, changed our life by making us anti-social and impatient, craving to watch our favorite series on T.V none stop, we glued ourselves to our smart phones and other tablets everywhere we go. This idea made us needy for fast ways and shortcuts to satisfy our demand for continuous TV watching.  While she/he is watching his/her favorite series in her/his bedroom away from their family and friends, it shows a bubble of individualism that is formed around him/her that separates from the social life. According to the University of Texas at Austin researchers they found that people who lacked self-control were more likely to binge-watch TV. They were unable to stop even when they knew they had other tasks to complete. () When binge-watching people may start to neglect their work and their relationships with others. Even though people know they should not do that, they cant seem to resist the temptation to watch episodes continuously. This represents the concept of individualism and how this meme is making us disconnected to the world, by keeping us away from social interaction which is really good and so important and who would not want that.

According to Lilian Cheung, a lecturer at the Harvard School of Public Health wrote to NBC News. “And there’s emerging evidence that too much TV watching also increases the risk of weight-related chronic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes. () This shows that People who binge-watch will more likely gain weight, sitting many hours on your coach only eating and watching will make the weight gain hard to lose. And, No watching sport does not count as an exercise. You might be fighting the urge to sleep just because you’re watching how to get away with murder and in a result you wake up really tired the next day for school and maybe you even didn’t study well for your biology test. And, people binge-watch to distract themselves from their negative feelings instead of dealing with them in a healthy way.

This meme should die because it made us individuals it’s reducing how we usually communicate and it forms an addiction, obsession we gradually start to cast away from social interaction. It is making us gain weight, which is not healthy instead of exercising we are frozen on the coach tiring our eyes and body. I choose common good because the welfare of everyone would benefit for social interaction and being healthy is important and this meme is minimizing our social activity and that really is breaking our society and us down. We must take our health here under consideration do we create that balance or do we exhaust

Ourselves by remaining addicted to this meme acknowledging it’s negative effect on us.

We all must leave binge watching because its what I can call after this essay a drug like any other which targets us both mentally and physically. I hope after you read this you can reflect on how much Netflix you watch, not saying you should cancel your subscription and stop watching your favorite TV shows. But only to consider how much time you can spend watching without negatively impacting your health and your social life, which is ultimately by creating a balance and getting rid of the addiction that is causing us so much trouble.

Work Cited

"Netflix." Wikipedia 20 Apr. 2015. Print.

"Binge-watching." Wikipedia 20 Apr. 2015. Print.

Preidt, Robert. "Binge-Watching TV: Sign of Depression, Loneliness?" WebMD News 29 Jan. 2015. Print.

Perri, Leah. "How to Break up with Your Netflix Addiction." Desert News National Beta 16 Oct. 2014. Print.

West, Kelly. "Unsurprising: Netflix Survey Indicates People Like To Binge-Watch TV." Cinema Blend 20 Apr. 2014. Print.

Netflix: Watching Ahead. Dexter Randazoo, 2013. Film.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/binge-watching-tv-may-harm-health/