I fondly recall excitedly using Netflix on my PS3 all the fucking time in like 2011. It was cheap, there was an app right there on the device I already bought, and there was a pretty good selection of content that got updated frequently enough. I had friends who would pirate and I was interested in getting into that until Netflix came along and completely fulfilled the need for me. The incredible convenience made it worth it over the work to learn how to pirate and the time to safely find everything and the risk of getting caught, and then even after doing all of that it would be on a computer and not just a couple of button presses from my couch. I know piracy has gotten to a point now where it's much more convenient, but back then it was a totally different beast. All of this was. YouTube was so much better for users and for certain classes of creators. Media and media platforms across the board are fucking terrible compared to back then. We used to chastise people for still having cable because Netflix was so fucking incredible in comparison. Idk what comes next, but these streaming companies are on the way out if they don't figure it the fuck out. At this point, I'd rather go backwards to go to a goddamn Blockbuster these days.

Your local library probably has a better selection of movies and TV for free than any streaming service you might consider paying for. Let's starve these beasts.

[–] AtariDump@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago

[–] Daft_ish@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I miss my local movie store. Going to the movie store added a little adventure to movie night. Go out, browse a little. Get a stack of movies you have no clue about. Stop and get Chinese, maybe ice cream.

Ok, it doesn't make sense anymore but I still miss it.

[–] MrVilliam@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

I think that still makes sense. Sometimes it feels like stuff like streaming and amazon orders have reduced our need to leave our homes. In general, this is largely a good thing, but I fear that people are becoming a little too isolated and aren't being exposed to social interactions nearly as much. I don't think people know how to respectfully disagree anymore, and I think that might lead to higher tension and make socializing even harder on people. I'm only 35, but it really does feel like most kids are having a more passive childhood than I remember having, and many adults today also live passively while feeling nostalgic for their more actively lived childhood. I don't think people are particularly happy with life being this efficient and convenient.

So yeah, go out and get a movie and some Chinese food. Have a conversation with a stranger. I bet you'll enjoy that more than doordash and scrolling through netflix.