Research Paper about Binging On Television

What is one thing that almost all the people in the world love to do? Watch TV: Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and many others. There are people all over the world who love to watch tv; furthermore, they love to binge tv even more. According to “Television Today” by Kate Peoples, the word binge-watch was first used in 2003 but became popular in 2013 and 2018; according to “Binging On Television” by Ronald Rasmundsen, about 90% of millennials and 87% of Gen-Zs say they watch, on average, about six episodes per session of binging. This shows that many people love to binge; moreover, binging can have many positive effects as well.

First, binge-watching has a positive effect on peoples’ lives because of the relationships that can form while binging. The text states, “It's believed that binge-watching leads to beneficial social connections. Binge-watching creates a sense of community around a show… this common ground allows viewers to discuss and enjoy the show with everyone from a coworker to the stranger in the line at the grocery store”(Peoples 2). This illustrates that binging a show gives a person a better chance at having a social conversation because there are plenty of other people who have binged that show; consequently, they might have the same or differing opinion on the show- which lets you discuss and interact with people you would not normally talk to. The text also states, “Romantic relationships can also be strengthened by binge-watching because it creates a shared interest, is a fun activity, and is an easy way to spend time together”(peoples 3). This demonstrates how binging a show can help strengthen couples’ relationships, but can also be a fun way to spend time and just chill with each other. The text states, “A study published in the journal of social and personal relationships found that binge-watching can help long-distance as well. It replaces shared activities for long-distance couples'' (people's 4). This shows that binging can help do something together: it helps them keep in touch with each other through conversations about the show and their individual opinion about the show. This evidence explains how binging can help strengthen relationships.

Next, binge-watching has a positive effect on people because it can help with stress relief. The text states, “ According to psychiatrists, binge-watching releases dopamine in the brain, which creates a feeling of pleasure and can help people relax and relieve stress” (Peoples 5). This demonstrates how binging helps a person’s brain slow down and enjoy whatever that person is watching. The text also states, “... binge-watching can make a show more fulfilling, more satisfying, while binge-watching, the viewer can feel the full pleasure of full immersion. Sometimes called being in the ‘zone.’”(Rasmundsen 15). This shows that binging can help you go into “the zone” and not think about anything else; furthermore, it helps people forget about daily stressors and helps people think more about the show than what is getting them down. The text states, “‘... it is hard to shut our minds down and tune out the stress and pressures. A binge can act like a steel door that blocks our brains from thinking about the constant stressors…’” (Peoples 6). This shows how a “binge” can help block out stressors and help people calm down and focus. All of this evidence explains how binging helps with stress relief.

However, there are also some negative aspects of binge-watching. The text states: “Binge-watching may lead to mental health issues… study found that binge-watchers were more likely to be depressed, lonely, and have less self-control” (Rasmundsen 10). This illustrates that binging can hurt your state of mind; moreover, it hurts you emotionally as well. Sitting there by yourself for hours leads to loneliness-which leads to depression-which leads to less self-control. On the other hand, there is plenty of evidence to counter these claims. The text states: “It is believed that binge-watching leads to beneficial social connections” and “... binge-watching releases dopamine in the brain which creates a feeling of pleasure…” (Peoples 2-4). This shows that people can meet and make new people because of a shared interest in a show; consequently, that person is no longer lonely because they have a person to hang out and watch tv with. Plus, binging releases dopamine which helps a person be happy and be more active.

In conclusion, binge-watching has many positive effects on people’s lives. “In 2015, ‘binge-watching’ was declared the word of the year by Collins English Dictionary, which said that the use of the term had increased 200% in 2018” (Peoples 1). Binge-watching has a positive effect on your mood, social life, relationships, and overall entertainment. It helps people meet someone new or start talking to someone they would not normally talk to. However, it can make a person lazy, depressed, and lonely in some cases. Binging is a fun way to just chill out, but you should not spend too much time doing it. Every once in a while sit down and watch a couple of episodes of one of your favorite shows, then get up, do some exercises, or get some rest.