Watch When You Need

ON DEMAND...an evolving trend in consuming digital entertainment. While on surface it does look enticing and lucrative, deeper it is disturbing leading to many social disturbances. Excess of anything is poisonous; so is any kind of binge activity and binge watching definitely are no exception to this. For those who think you are already in control and want skip reading further, all I got to say is Watch When You Need and not Watch When You Want. To the rest thank you in choosing to read on.

We have never been spared from capitalist exploitation to provide profits for few stakeholders. In the present digital era we are made to believe that binge watching at our convenience and comfort is the freedom to happiness. Skinner; the famous psychologist and behaviorist said "If freedom is a requisite for human happiness, then all that's necessary is to provide the illusion of freedom". Social media companies have the perfect recipe for creating this illusion. 

A caution not mentioned to us about binge watching is that it is an addictive drug that stops us from looking at real world. This drug fulfills giving illusion happiness in beginning but subsequently demands more screen time in providing the same level of happiness, pleasure. It is because of the dopamine effect where body gets used with certain amount of dopamine (the feel-good hormone) and requires additional to feel the pleasure with same activity. All problems related to drug addiction such as depression, anxiety, waning patience, social withdrawal, quick snap and anger, weight management (over weight or under weight), sleep deprivation, laziness are all outcomes of binge watching too.

With extra screen time we are unknowingly conditioned; how many of us realize this? This is extensively studied under branch of psychology - Behaviorism. According to this mind states are conditioned by repetition. Watson, Pavlov, Skinner are renowned psychologists who have extensively researched on behaviorism. Binge watching induces dopamine secretion and on longer duration it reduces thinking capabilities of our mind. With no effective regulation the wave of binge watching has hit the young and old like a tsunami; come without notice, none spared. The impact is greatest on the Millennials. We become what we consume. Their behaviors are being conditioned unknowing to them through this digital consumption. Thoughts and ideas are being injected that evolve as behavioral outcome. An interesting docudrama Social Dilemma explains the capitalist exploitation.

Only answer to this social problem is lesser screen time which equates to much calmer mind that allows clearer thinking. Look into the needs than wants to feel real happiness.

#capitalistexploitation, #dopamineeffect, #beahviorism, #conditioning, #socialdilemma, #freedomtohappiness