Good things about having your life recorded on the internet (The Netflix Post - Part 1)

Hey all!

I'm planning to write the next few posts in a sort of serialized version. I realized the topic I want to discuss is way too long for just one post. Not to mention, a friend of mine mentioned that his attention span is a bit too short for anything longer than a page or two (the cause of which is the subject of a completely different blog post altogether). Without further ado...

On December 23rd 2009, I activated a Netflix account.

On December 26th 2010, I realized that Netfix has kept track of every single film I have watched as well as when I did, how long it took, and what rating I gave it.

Needless to say, when I found this treasure trove of information, I had to look at it more in depth. I took all the information they had, put it in an excell spreadsheet and got to crunching numbers. Frankly, if I had more time or better resources, the information really could tell me even more.

To make absolutely clear, in the last year and three days, the Netflix account I am about to describe to you has been used almost exclusively by me either down in the theater room or streaming on my computer.

Cue 1980's computer research montage

So what did I learn?

In the past year and three days - I have watched 392 different films or television episodes (although not all of them completely). I have watched 1 actually mailed DVD.

Collectively, of these 392 pieces of media, I have watched roughly 306 hours, 34 minutes, and 54 seconds of time watching Netflix. This is approximately 13 days or 3.5% of the year.

That's more than one program per day and almost an hour per day.

So what does this mean?

There are a number of key findings that I can take from this information.

1.) I live far far too sedentary a lifestyle.

Combine this with the untold amounts of dvds and dvr'd content I consume, I spend anywhere between 5-10% of my life consuming media in a chair. While this may be perfectly average given the couchification of the American human being, the sheer numbers are unsettling at best.

Sure there's a bike in the theater room, but I rarely use it. This needs to change. If I exercised one tenth of the time I spend sitting on the couch watching netflix, I would be in the best shape of my life. Hell, if I spent one tenth of the time doing anything else, I would have acquired a brand new talent altogether.



This is a great ice breaker at parties...

2.) I don't really watch a lot of television.

I know that sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, but I really don't. I listen. Even right now as I write this post, I'm sitting down in the movie theater with a DVR'd episode of Breaking Bad playing.

Insert shameless plug... on AMC!

I'd say that a large portion of the Netflix I watch, I'm really not watching. At my very best, I'm like a guy who is multitasking all the time. More likely, I'm like a dog who needs the tv on so he doesn't realize he's alone.

3.) I have an insatiable desire to consume information.

Not only the desire consume, but also the complete disregard for waiting. In a year, I watched on average, more than a program per day. And thats just on netflix (those of you who know me, know that I also watch DVR'd television, listen to NPR in the car, and if I haven't read at least two books a month feel embarassed). People joke about the amount of trivial knowledge I have, but frankly, with the amount of media I consume, its embarassing that I don't know more.

No, you have my complete attention.

Not only is the sheer amount of different pieces of media worth noting, but also the fact of how they are absorbed.

Streaming live: 392 programs

Delivered through the mail: 1 program

Yep. After getting one DVD through the mail, I never returned it. Despite a whole bevy of content that I can't get online, I have yet to return a DVD. How hard is that? Clearly convenience is a huge part of my watching habits. I think it speaks to exactly how "path of least resistance" I can be (and by extension the rest of humanity). Sooner or later, I'll get around to it...

Lastly,

4.) Life is pretty good.

On a purely mathematical basis, this data means that for 3.5% of my life, I am doing nothing to ensure my survival. I am not hunting for food, seeking shelter, or competing with others to ensure the survival of my genetic line.

In your face finches

Joking aside, Netflix makes a pretty good argument for the positive aspects of modernity. One has the ability to view an infinity of content, on demand, with little or no effort, for an extremely low price (but not Breaking Bad on AMC!). All this, while not having to worry about being eaten by lions. That's not to say, that there is no downside to modernity, believe me. The same technology that allows us to categorize and create efficiencies, is not immune to evil exploitation (like Nazis or cell phone plans). Still when it comes down to it, the creation of a conveniece like this shows that we have both unadulterated leisure time and the technology really to make the most of it. Say you don't like netflix. Statistics still show that you have time to do other amazing things, like play Wii with your friends and family, go on a hike, or some other stereotypical suburban fantasy.

Of course, this is open to its own dystopian interpretation as well. Some have theorized that when the machines take over, to take a phrase from T.S. Elliot, they won't come "with a bang, but with a whimper". That is to say, that media, technology, and machines will become so convenient and helpful in our lives, that we will have no choice but to let them take over. Clearly in the war to enslave humanity, Netflix is doing its part (3.5 percent!).

"You don't need free will, I've got this."

All of this information however is extrapolated from merely the quantitative data, or in laymens terms, the number data. What about the qualitiative data? What types of movies do I like? What am I watching it? What can we glean from that information?

Keep your eyes on the blog, because as soon as I can, I'll get back to you on that...