Nation Spends 45 Minutes Choosing Netflix Show, Watches Nothing
Manhattan Couple’s Relationship Survives Another Evening of Scrolling
A groundbreaking study from NYU’s Media Psychology Department reveals that the average American now spends 45 minutes per evening scrolling through Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max before ultimately giving up and going to bed without watching anything. The phenomenon, which researchers are calling “streaming paralysis” or “the tyranny of infinite choice,” has become so prevalent that couples therapists in Manhattan report it’s now the third leading cause of relationship tension, behind financial stress and whose turn it is to take out the garbage.
“We just wanted to watch something relaxing after work,” explained Brooklyn resident Sarah Martinez, who spent an entire evening scrolling through 4,700 available titles before settling on rewatching “The Office” for the seventh time, then falling asleep twelve minutes into the first episode. “We spent more time debating what to watch than we would have actually watching something. By the time we agreed on a show, we were too exhausted and resentful to enjoy it. This happens literally every night.”
The study found that the decision-making process typically follows a predictable pattern: one person suggests something, the other person says “I’m not in the mood for that,” both parties scroll in hostile silence for twenty minutes, someone suggests the same show that was already rejected, an argument ensues about who “never wants to watch what I want to watch,” and eventually both people go to bed angry while their Netflix account mockingly displays “Are You Still Watching?” despite them never having started anything.
Upper West Side couple Michael and Jennifer Chen have developed an elaborate system to combat streaming paralysis, involving a shared Google Doc, voting mechanisms, and predetermined genre nights. “We have rules now,” Michael explained. “Mondays are comedy, Tuesdays are documentary, Wednesdays are drama. We maintain a ranked list of options. We set a fifteen-minute time limit for decision-making. And you know what? We still end up watching nothing and going to bed mad.” Jennifer nodded in agreement, adding, “The system works perfectly in theory. In practice, we argue about whether ‘BoJack Horseman’ counts as comedy or drama and then it’s 11 PM and we have work tomorrow.”
The paralysis is particularly acute among Manhattan professionals who view their limited leisure time as precious and therefore refuse to “waste it” on anything that isn’t perfect. “I work sixty hours a week,” insisted financial analyst David Park. “I have maybe two hours of free time per evening. I cannot afford to choose wrong. What if I commit to something and it’s boring? What if there’s something better? The stakes are too high. So instead I scroll for two hours and watch nothing, which is somehow preferable to the risk of choosing poorly. I’m aware this makes no sense.”
Streaming services have noticed the trend and are attempting to address it by adding more content, which has only made the problem exponentially worse. Netflix alone adds approximately 1,500 titles per month, ensuring that by the time you’ve scrolled through all available options, dozens of new shows have been added that you now must also consider. “It’s brilliant business strategy,” admitted one anonymous Netflix executive. “The more options we provide, the less people watch, which means they’re less likely to cancel because they haven’t finished evaluating their options yet. We’ve essentially weaponized FOMO and decision fatigue.”
Psychologists explain that the phenomenon is a modern manifestation of “choice overload,” where having too many options actually decreases satisfaction and makes decision-making nearly impossible. “It’s the same reason people stand in front of their full refrigerator claiming there’s nothing to eat,” explained Dr. Rebecca Morrison. “The abundance of choice creates anxiety. Your brain knows that choosing one thing means not choosing everything else, so it chooses nothing to avoid the potential regret of choosing wrong. Then you feel regret anyway about wasting your evening scrolling. It’s a perfect anxiety loop.”
Several Manhattan couples have resolved the issue by canceling all streaming services and returning to regular television, where you watch whatever’s on and accept it like our ancestors did. “It’s been liberating,” reported Chelsea resident Amanda Rodriguez. “No choices, no regrets, no hour-long debates about whether we’re ‘in the mood’ for something. We just watch whatever garbage TBS is playing and we’re honestly happier. Last night we watched a 2004 romantic comedy we’d never heard of and had a great time. It would never have survived our Netflix selection process.”
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SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/45-minutes-choosing-netflix-show/.
By: Annika Steinmann.
The post Nation Spends 45 Minutes Choosing Netflix Show, Watches Nothing appeared first on SpinTaxi Magazine.
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