Since the beginning of TV, cable has been what is making Hollywood the most money. However, the convenience of 24-hour TV has lost its appeal, and the increasing number of streaming services have stolen the spotlight. This novel idea of watching whatever you want, whenever you want has won over the hearts of many TV watchers. 

The minor changes in our society are what transform us into new people, hardly recognizable from generations before. In past days, most entertainment, work and rewards have taken time and patience. Fighting boredom took more than a device, but an imagination. Food was not merely an item on the shelf at your local grocery store, but a season’s worth of tending to crops. In today’s world, instant gratification has stolen the art and beauty of waiting. In this new realm of streaming, waiting seems to be a ridiculous task that should just not have to be done. Watching an entire season in one sitting is the new norm, instead of coming back every Tuesday at 7 to watch the next episode of your favorite show.

However, this gradual fade of cable could be shedding light on the ever intentional management of our time. Some of the only people I know who still watch cable regularly are my grandparents who, every night after dinner, turn on the TV to their favorite station and watch mindlessly until they fall asleep. Does streaming allow watchers to be more intentional? Are we becoming more self-aware, not allowing ourselves to mindlessly watch TV we are not even interested in? 

Maybe our mode of entertainment opens eyes to what strengths and weaknesses we have. Maybe you are intentionally impatient, watching episode after episode on Amazon Prime. Or maybe, your patience leads you to be a little more intentional in your TV watching habits. This dual outcome is in the hands of all TV watchers. Streaming can be the end of unintentional watching or the start of nasty habits of inpatients. Will you cut the thread letting cable TV fall into the abyss of history, or will you repair the brittle strand connecting it to our society?