A TV show I am watching right now!

I think I used the expression before, but in case it has slipped your mind let’s review the expression ‘binge-watching.’  I think this is a disease of modern society in the same way ‘binge-eating’ is a very serious disease. However, the former may be more dangerous because it is not really recognized as a dangerous distraction from life.

Streaming sites such as Netflix, Amazon and so on are the source of this problem. They provide us with an enormous selection of TV shows and dramas which we cannot drag ourselves away from and do something more constructive. Indeed, such dramas and shows are designed psychologically so we -have to- watch the next episode while telling ourselves it will be the last one.

I too suffer from this disease and can relapse at any time. For example, I started binge-watching a Korean drama set in a hospital about a week ago and literally wasted 21 hours of my life. That is a day gone that I could have used to do so many important and useful things.

These days I am studying the writing of the Stoics. These were ancient Greeks (marcus Aurelius, Seneca) who warn again and again about wasting our lives For example, Marcus Aurelius says:

‘remember how long you’ve been putting this off, how many extensions the Gods gave you, and you didn’t use them. At some point you have to recognize what world it is that you belong to; what power rules it and from what source you spring; that there is a limit to the time assigned you, and if you don’t use it to free yourself it will be gone and never return.’

‘Everyone gets one life. Yours is almost used up…’

Right. Back to Netflix!