College Addiction
Netflix: Is binge streaming the new college addiction?
12/18/2013 by grantziegler
Netflix headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif. Photo courtesy of Associated Press.
By Jodi-Ann Jarrett
Contributing Writer
“My name is _____ and I’m addicted to Netflix.” At first glance, this statement reads like the opening line of a comedy bit, but could it be a serious cause for concern?
Not according to NLC student Stephen Barton, “I’m not addicted to Netflix, I’m addicted to television and entertainment on any type of screen.”
But Barton could be among the many deniers. Type the words “Netflix” and “addiction” into your Internet search engine and you’ll find plenty of people willing to admit they’re addicted to the online streaming service. Although “Netflix …show more content…
Not necessarily, said journalism and mass communication professor Joanna Cattanach. She teaches an introductory course on mass media and argues that addiction to media is more a question of technology than a psychological disorder.
“Texting, listening to music, playing games on your cell phone, all of these are distractions,” said Cattanach. “On the surface they may seem like an addiction or even feel like one to the student but done in moderation, or even as a reward or incentive for finishing work, I see nothing wrong with Netflix.”
Like Barton, many members of the North Lake family deny the plausibility of an addiction to Netflix, citing that they can stop whenever they want to. When asked to explain any periods of abstention, however, the common answer was not that of exercising control, it was of running out of episodes or things to watch. Denial is another stage of addiction.
“Netflix give(s) people the illusion of control over their addiction,” Barton continued. “I now have the freedom to use my ‘crack’ whenever I want instead of having to wait for the network to mass distribute it at a certain
12/18/2013 by grantziegler
Netflix headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif. Photo courtesy of Associated Press.
By Jodi-Ann Jarrett
Contributing Writer
“My name is _____ and I’m addicted to Netflix.” At first glance, this statement reads like the opening line of a comedy bit, but could it be a serious cause for concern?
Not according to NLC student Stephen Barton, “I’m not addicted to Netflix, I’m addicted to television and entertainment on any type of screen.”
But Barton could be among the many deniers. Type the words “Netflix” and “addiction” into your Internet search engine and you’ll find plenty of people willing to admit they’re addicted to the online streaming service. Although “Netflix …show more content…
Not necessarily, said journalism and mass communication professor Joanna Cattanach. She teaches an introductory course on mass media and argues that addiction to media is more a question of technology than a psychological disorder.
“Texting, listening to music, playing games on your cell phone, all of these are distractions,” said Cattanach. “On the surface they may seem like an addiction or even feel like one to the student but done in moderation, or even as a reward or incentive for finishing work, I see nothing wrong with Netflix.”
Like Barton, many members of the North Lake family deny the plausibility of an addiction to Netflix, citing that they can stop whenever they want to. When asked to explain any periods of abstention, however, the common answer was not that of exercising control, it was of running out of episodes or things to watch. Denial is another stage of addiction.
“Netflix give(s) people the illusion of control over their addiction,” Barton continued. “I now have the freedom to use my ‘crack’ whenever I want instead of having to wait for the network to mass distribute it at a certain