The term "binge-watching" inherently has a negative connotation; it implies addiction, a lack of control, and aggressor-victim dynamic between a show and a watcher. It's considered a problem frequently attributed to the nebulous "millennial" generation, in which baby-boomers and generation x-ers alike can become increasingly disillusioned. Binge-watching has become seen as something unhealthy that people flippantly laugh off when brought up in public. It's become something people rarely if ever want to attribute to themselves in a more serious setting because it can be associated with laziness and impulsivity.
I disagree. Binge-watching is the act of very willingly immersing yourself in another world unconditionally and completely. When I click through another episode of "House of Cards" or "Arrested Development," I am not at the mercy of the less practical part of my mind. I'm not a frivolous millennial shirking my responsibilities just so I can remain amused for just a moment more. Instead, I have chosen to join a fandom and accept any and all ways the show may change my view of the world. By going on a marathon, I'm creating a more fluid and complete view of all facets the show's universe may entail, more completely remembering the motivations behind each character and the complexities of the situations at hand. Binge-watching makes me feel more at one with the community of viewers and the characters themselves.
Binge-watching needn't come at the expense of future academic success or personal relationships because the very knowledge that another season of "Orange Is the New Black" is waiting on my Netflix queue can engender me to finish up that final project. The very knowledge that I prefer to watch episodes in quick succession over the course of a day or two leads me to set aside time for watching a given show to a point where I can comfortably and attentively follow the progression of a plot line without any distractions or outside worries. Incentivizing the completion of a project or paper can ultimately mitigate procrastination and lead to overall increase in productivity.
As summer has begun, I've found myself watching more Netflix than I had during the school year, but I never saw these TV shows as a means to my own end in academic success or sleep. I was never at the mercy of the new season of "Master of None."
Though with the presence of having something this wonderful at my fingertips could have decimated my productivity from temptations to take a few "short breaks," I've found bingeing has instigated my development of impulse control and growth as a whole.
