The Decline of Television: A Personal Perspective and Shift Towards Digital Consumption
Introduction to TV Habits
It's a tricky question to pinpoint what exactly made me lose interest in watching TV. Growing up, we rented most of the films we watched, with others accessed through cable services. Quickly, I realized I was not interested in television when it came to regular broadcasting. I only watch shows and animations that I have either rented or downloaded, not those broadcasted on the TV. Cables broadcast movies, but most times, I've either seen them or they aren't interesting to me. I don't remember the last show I watched on TV, although I occasionally stream content on a bigger screen for a better viewing experience. For instance, I watched DUNE Part 2 on my television with my friends as it was a unique experience for us.
Evolution of Entertainment Consumption
As I transitioned from working to being retired, my engagement with television drastically decreased. My brain can only store a finite amount of information, and 80 years of learning and memory make it challenging to focus intensely. Repetition is a significant factor – if I've seen one episode of 〝 Say Yes to the Dress 〞, I've seen them all. Repeats are another issue; Dave still broadcasts Top Gear from 20 years ago, but the car industry has changed significantly since then. Ad breaks are bothersome, and the so-called "news" channels are often just propagating a one-way slant rather than shining a light on the truth.
Change in Perspective
Television shows are continuously driven by political correctness, and news channels are too often one-sided. On the positive side, I loved television and always will. At one point, I even wanted to be a screenwriter. However, my studies, work, and growing focus have shifted my priorities away from television. My parents always had the TV on, even when they fell asleep, so I spent 18 years absorbing information from various shows, including cartoons, Disney, Nick Jr., CNN, ESPN, Oprah, Dr. Phil, and everything in between. When I started college, I missed TV because it felt like a family member, and the lack of constant presence was unusual. Now, at 25, it's surreal to think about the time I spent mindlessly consuming television content.
With time, my interests and priorities have changed. I now limit myself to watching no more than four shows because that's all I have time for and it's for the best. I know four isn't exactly zero, but compared to my past self, it's significantly lower. I can make time for TV if I want to, but I don't because it comes at the expense of another goal or project. While it's fun to reflect on binge-watching Lost or how Breaking Bad consumed my college freshman self, there's a lot I want to accomplish in my lifetime that I cannot do if I sit in front of a TV for hours on end.
Conclusion and Future Trends
As society evolves, our entertainment consumption habits are shifting. With the rise of streaming services, personalized content, and the demand for real-time information, the way we consume content is changing. The next generation will likely have even less time for traditional television, relying more on digital platforms for their entertainment and news needs. As someone who has transitioned from a heavy TV watcher to a digital content user, I find it incredibly liberating, as it allows me to be more intentional about what I consume.