If yes, then you are very similar to many other students at Timber Creek
By Myrtice (Amore) Lewis
We all know the famous app netflix where you can stream countless movies and television shows.Over the years it has become very popular within gen z and increasingly popular over the past six months. Now that we are in a global pandemic it has allowed us to have more free time because of the lack of sports and extracurricular activities. And what most teens are now focusing their attention is into the miracle of netflix where ads simply don’t exist. The app has many valued perks such as a low monthly cost, no ads, and many options to choose from. But, the one major reason most students at Timber Creek love it is because of accessibility.
Students all over our school adore this app but have you ever stopped and looked how much time you are actually devoting to this app? Well, sophomore Auriel Gonzalez states that since March he has binged watched approximately seven different shows on the notorious app, Netflix. Another student, Marla Gonzalez said that since March she has now binged a total of six shows. But, both students stated very different reasons as to why they are addicted to this app; “No ads and as soon as I finish one show I start another one,” which is a solid point made by Auriel. This one claim is what reels in most people purchasing a monthly fee of this app because there are less distractions. While on cable television if you want to watch a two hour movie there would be at least 15 minutes of ads. Nonetheless Marla Gonzalez also gave a strong point to why she uses the app frequently, “I like Netflix because it’s really entertaining and it gives me something to do when I’m bored.” Netflix does consist of many different shows and movies from all different types of genres and this also includes films that are made by Netflix “Netflix Originals.” This also gives users a selection of shows and movies they can’t get anywhere else. Overall this app does contain many desirable qualities which makes it more appealing and addicting to teenagers.
But do any of these teenagers actually believe that they are addicted? When Brianna Walker was asked she stated that “I am not addicted to Netflix necessarily, but I am addicted to watching Greys Anatomy.” Which most students tend to agree with, for instance, Netflix will market common and popular shows and movies that would reel someone into buying the app and in this case for Brianna Walker it was Grey’s Anatomy. For other students it could be other popular shows that you can’t stop rewatching even though you know the ending. The app appeals to people who love re-watching their favorite moments in cinema so they can relive their pinnacle moments over and over again. But is it wrong to watch too much Netflix, is being “addicted” actually bad? Well, the app plays a crucial role in pandemic because it allows people who are feeling lonely, depressed, or just bored in general to escape into the world of cinema. A place where one gets to forget their problems for the duration of the movie or show, or where someone can get a good laugh in to put some pep in their step, or where someone can get a good cry in hope of releasing bottled up emotion. At the end of the day most of us are more addicted to Netflix then we let on and we should feel bad about it.
