连续“刷剧”成为现代人新瘾

你有没有过一次连看两集电视剧的经历？研究显示，很多人都这样做过。随着网络媒体的更新和发展，我们不再需要每周苦苦地坐在电视机前等待连续剧一集一集地播出，而是可以按自己的需求“刷剧”。这种强迫性的行为正变得越来越普遍，甚至有可能令我们上瘾。

Have you ever loved a TV show? I mean really loved it? Like, you can't wait to get to work to talk about it loved it? What about the cliffhanger? That's the unresolved situation at the end of the episode which makes you want to watch the next one. But, when will the next one be?

In the past, viewers had to wait up to a week for the next episode of their favourite shows. What agony! But, that's not the case any more. And hand in hand with that comes a, possibly dangerous, growing social trend. We speak of binge-watching.

Binge-watching is when a person watches more than one episode of a show in quick succession. With developments in the speed and connectivity of the internet, increases in technology and the rise of on-demand entertainment companies, people can now have their favourite shows streamed directly to their television at their convenience.

This behaviour is nothing new. In fact, ‘binge-watching' has been officially listed in dictionaries since 2015. The entertainment companies recognise this behaviour and many take steps to encourage it. Often, instead of releasing each episode on a week-by-week basis, an entire series will become available concurrently. Once the episode finishes, many platforms will display pop-ups with ‘you might like' suggestions, or will automatically play the next episode.

However, this wondrous gift may in fact be a poisoned chalice. Recent research from British media watchdog Ofcom suggests that this behaviour may have become a hindrance. Out of the more than half of British adults who watch more than one episode of a show back-to-back, almost a third have admitted missing sleep or becoming tired as a result; and one quarter have neglected their household chores. Next we'll be missing work!

Bingeing has other connections – binge eating, binge drinking and binge smoking. All of which are often associated with compulsive behaviour, a lack of control and a possible route to addiction. Lindsey Fussell, consumer group director at Ofcom, said: "The days of waiting a week for the next episode are largely gone, with people finding it hard to resist watching multiple episodes around the house or on the move.” If people find binge-watching hard to resist, coupled with the fact that it has shown to lead to negligence in many, are we witnessing the birth of a new type of addiction?

The myriad of information and entertainment that television and online media can bring us is, many would say, a good thing. It offers us opportunities to better understand the world we live in, educate ourselves and enjoy much needed downtime. However, like any behaviour done to excess, it can become dangerous. And when the activity begins to bleed into other areas, causing us to stop functioning – then it becomes a problem. So, what's the answer? Moderation! Neither a tiny amount, nor too much. After all, as the old proverb says… a little of what you fancy does you good.