FINAL ENTRY: TV vs. Netflix

“That show sounds good, I’ll Netflix it.” This is something I hear more and more now that Netflix streaming has boosted the company’s popularity to its current glory. Instead of finding TV shows on the actual television, people just go straight to Netflix. Some people, like me, have no other choice. One show that I used to watch on television all the time is the hospital-themed sitcom Scrubs. Netflix Instant has the entire series, all 8 seasons, streaming for free so I never have to watch it on television or buy the DVDs. My media-life has changed completely thanks to Netflix Instant. The existence of digital media like Netflix Instant is changing the landscape of American media all together.

Oh Netflix, I never knew watching TV could be so good. And easy. And cheap. Running with the Scrubs example, with this new way of watching TV I can watch Scrubs on my terms. I can watch whenever I want, whichever episode I want, and however many episodes I want. Not only that, but there are no commercials and I get to watch the full, uncut version of every episode. Even though before I started watching Scrubs on Netflix I had seen every episode multiple times, I managed to see scenes I had never seen before because they were cut on television, unbeknownst to me until now. All of this is at a fraction of the price it would cost to have the entire series on DVD or getting cable, if it even still airs anymore.

The format is also so much more preferable, because every episode is online and on the screen, making it easy to scroll through and find the one I want or watch multiple episodes. No more switching DVDs constantly trying to find a good episode. Or having to listen to excruciatingly annoying menu music... On Netflix I can preview any episode with ease. The only downside to Netflix streaming would be if you have a bad internet connection. Occasionally, my viewing has been interrupted by random reloading, but much less often than I would expect. All in all, I prefer watching Scrubs on Netflix streaming now, even though it is so different from the way I used to watch.

I know I'm not the only one who has become smitten with Netflix Instant. More people are making the migration from television to the internet, if not with Netflix then with Hulu or...illegitimate means. Obviously, this will cause a disturbance in the Force. What will advertisers do now that a huge amount of people who used to watch their commercials aren't anymore? And how much will this screw with Nielsen ratings? Not only that, but the audience themselves will change now that they have changed media. I felt like watching television kept me in touch with the world. More than just not watching the news, even by just watching commercials I had a better idea of what was going on around me and what people were doing or eating or buying for fun. Without TV I miss out on new movie trailers, funny commercials that can be laughed about with friends, or new products on the market. We're heading for a strange new media world out there. Get your popcorn out, it's going to be interesting.

Whatever, whatever, I do what I want

It's summer time. How do you decide to dress? Do you wear what's comfortable or do you let the media tell you what you should wear? This has been a societal problem in America for a long time and will continue to be a problem for a long time. Fashion is interesting and all, but when it takes away from comfort and mobility I think it goes too far. But people always want to "fit in" and in order to do that, they think they have to look to the media for answers. Their sources are interviews with fashion designers, reports of celebrity outfits, fashion blogs, etc. People will trust these media sources over anything, more than their own sense of what is comfortable or what the people around them may say.

I have never been into fashion, so it is hard for me to understand willingly shelling out hundreds of dollars for clothes or shoes that aren't even comfortable. I'm not saying everyone should wear pajamas everyday all day, but why torture yourself and your wallet in such a way? That is why I found this rant by Drew Magary on Deadspin so interesting: http://deadspin.com/5805887/ill-wear-shorts-if-i-goddamn-want-to Apparently, there are media sources out there that say that men should not wear shorts, even in the summer.

...Why not? The best thing I noticed about this issue is the comments on the rant did not even know this was an issue. Who thinks guys shouldn't wear shorts? Not only do the comments on this rant ask this question, but I asked around to my own peers and none had ever heard of this either. So it isn't the people around us who think this is bad, it is the media that is sending people this message. This isn't even peer pressure, it's media pressure that people see as peer pressure. Magary has the right idea by disregarding the media when it makes unreasonable demands to its consumers. It's hot, if you want to wear shorts, wear them, whether you are a man or a woman. Don't change your behaviors just because someone in the media told you to, only do it if it works for you. Magary is also right to put his side of the issue on the internet. Counteract media you disagree with with your own media. The more the merrier!