Television is an entertaining pastime, something to do when you do not want to do anything, something to mindlessly invest in without having to invest a lot. But TV is getting out of hand. Recently, there have been commercials about falling into a "showhole," which Amazon Fire TV defines as finishing the show you have been binge-watching and not knowing what to do with yourself next, which show to watch next, and overall a bad place to be. A showhole is what I like to call freedom.
Our daily lives have been so consumed with TV and thousands of different, mindless, pointless shows that do not effect our lives in the least and, yet, so many people become addicted to these shows; addicted to watching other peoples lives, other peoples problems, and shows that are just plain entertainment.
It is not a bad thing, to indulgent in some TV every now and then, but ever since programs like DVR, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and so many others came into existence people have been binge- watching show after show, with no break, no rest, no contact with the outside world. These services make binge watching shows so easy. When Netflix asks, "are you still watching?" why do we always select "yes"?
People can live their lives how they want, and if binge watching ten hours of a show a day makes them happy, then keep on binging. But when I see the term, "showhole," flash across my screen, it makes me feel like we are wasting our lives. I am guilty of it, too, every now and again, but I try to avoid television as much as possible.
Showhole, to me, does not mean that you are forced into a deprivation of shows and must search in all corners of the television world to find the next addiction, but rather it means that you are free to get off the couch. You finished a show, why does that mean you have to start a new one. Instead of watching someone else live their life, why not live your own.
Our society has become so engrossed in the shows with binge watching capabilities and so many different options to choose from that we have forgotten what living truly means. When you look back at your life fifty years from now are you going to be glad you spent a majority of that time watching every episode of "The Office," followed by every episode of "Orange is the New Black"? I hope not, but if you would be then continue living how you are.
Television was a great invention, it spread news quicker, it allowed people to know what was going on and to keep up with the world. It became something to watch when at home sick or after a long day of work. But I am sure it was never meant to be the center of our lives, something that consumed our time and our minds. Sadly, that is what it has become.
There are some shows that are wonderful. Shows that have such relatable characters, amazing plot lines, brilliant writers and people working behind the scenes, but then there are shows like "Toddlers in Tiaras," "The Bachelorette," and "Storage Wars" that are just there for mindless entertainment. They mean nothing and without these shows we would lose nothing, absolutely nothing.
People enjoy these shows, because the creators, directors, cast, writers, and everyone working for the show knows how to make a good show, and that is why they are still successful.
But these shows are not worth spending your days, weeks, months, or years on the couch for. By missing them you are missing nothing, maybe you will just have one less thing to talk about in the break room at work. But with those hours not spent on the couch, you can do things that you can talk about for the rest of your life.
