I've lost the ability to enjoy movies, sports and TV programmes

[Holdfast]

Seriously, I just can't sit down and watch an entire movie, sports game or TV programme any more. It's quite amazing. Well, maybe once in a blue moon I manage it, if it's REALLY brilliant, and it's the FIRST time I've seen it.

But generally, I just can't do it any more. I probably haven't been able to do it for 5-10 years now. My attention span for media entertainment has diminished so much that anything that lasts longer than about 15-20 minutes starts to lose my attention.

I used to like sitting down and watching a TV show or a movie. It didn't even need to be massively good, just good enough. Now I often reach for the remote, or the laptop, after a matter of minutes.

I don't think the actual quality of the media has deteriorated significantly, in some ways it's probably improved. I wonder if it's a function of the internet, expecting to interact with my entertainment more, or just a general decreased interest with those media formats?

Anyone else experience this?

 

[RoJoHen]

I am physically incapable of sitting and watching TV without also doing something else. I almost always have to have my laptop with me as well.

 

[Adm_Hawthorne]

Since I graduated from college, I've not been able to just sit and watch tv. I always wind up doing something else while I'm watching.

If it's a movie at a movie theater, I'm golden as long as it's actually entertaining. But, I've been known to walk out on bad movies. I just don't have the patience.

I think part of it is the "internet effect" of expecting to be able to interact in some way. But, a larger part of it is that I simply feel like I'm wasting time if I'm just sitting there.

 

[Timby]

Clearly, anhedonia has set in, and it's time for you to check yourself into a treatment program.

 

[Holdfast]

^ I'll get on that once I lose the ability to enjoy shopping for new clothes.

I am physically incapable of sitting and watching TV without also doing something else. I almost always have to have my laptop with me as well.

Since I graduated from college, I've not been able to just sit and watch tv. I always wind up doing something else while I'm watching.

I think part of it is the "internet effect" of expecting to be able to interact in some way. But, a larger part of it is that I simply feel like I'm wasting time if I'm just sitting there.

You've both described it exactly.

It's a definite change in the way I consume entertainment. I notice it even more if I visit my father and stay over for a few days and we end up watching a bit of TV at some point. He still watches programmes, the way I used to and I notice myself getting itchy fingers wanting to do something else at the same time.

 

[RoJoHen]

If I'm not on my computer, I damn well better be eating something.

 

[Adm_Hawthorne]

^ I'll get on that once I lose the ability to enjoy shopping for new clothes.

I am physically incapable of sitting and watching TV without also doing something else. I almost always have to have my laptop with me as well.

Since I graduated from college, I've not been able to just sit and watch tv. I always wind up doing something else while I'm watching.

I think part of it is the "internet effect" of expecting to be able to interact in some way. But, a larger part of it is that I simply feel like I'm wasting time if I'm just sitting there.

You've both described it exactly.

It's a definite change in the way I consume entertainment. I notice it even more if I visit my father and stay over for a few days and we end up watching a bit of TV at some point. He still watches programmes, the way I used to and I notice myself getting itchy fingers wanting to do something else at the same time.

I flat out told my father the last time I went to visit that I would not go down there if all he wanted to do was sit and watch TV. If that's what he wanted, I'd turn my tv at home to whatever he was watching, pop my blutooth on, and he could talk to me about what was on the screen while I did something productive, like the laundry.

At some point, my brain said, 'okay, just sitting here wasting time isn't going to work', and it just ran with it.

 

[Garak]

I'm a seasonal watcher. I can't bring myself to sit inside in the summer time and watch an entire program or movie - I have to be out doing something, not wasting time. Winter rolls around though and I'm in complete hibernation mode, watching everything I can.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I'm the same way. Although I'd clump video games in there too.

It seems the only thing I can do anymore for long, uninterrupted periods of time is read. And that's only if the material is engaging enough.

 

[Mr Awe]

Maybe it that's a good thing? Most of those things are junk that just waste your time. I find myself becoming less and less interested in all of those as time goes by.

I'd only start to worry if you're not interested in anything.

Mr Awe

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I still like to enjoy TV, radio, music, etc. I think this is precisely due to the Internet phenomenon. I end up watching less TV etc. nowadays, and on the occasions that I actually do watch TV, it's a reminder of the pleasures that may well be on at the time - and when there's nothing on, well, there's always the Internet.

I actually went right off TV at one point before the Internet gripped me - and back then I was addicted to radio.

Some TV events are things I do set aside to enjoy and savour, such as a new episode of my favourite TV show.

I will say that I do spend less time playing computer games now - there's not enough time in the world.

But I actually agree with Timby, all joking aside - if it's more of a "not enjoying the things you love anymore" sort of thing, perhaps you should consider seeing someone for advice and help?

 

[Holdfast]

If I'm not on my computer, I damn well better be eating something.

Maybe I have the internet to thank for losing weight...!

I flat out told my father the last time I went to visit that I would not go down there if all he wanted to do was sit and watch TV...

At some point, my brain said, 'okay, just sitting here wasting time isn't going to work', and it just ran with it.

I might have to borrow this.

I'm the same way. Although I'd clump video games in there too.

Oh yeah, totally agreed. Video games too. I used to love them as a kid. Now, 10-20 minutes before I'm bored.

It seems the only thing I can do anymore for long, uninterrupted periods of time is read. And that's only if the material is engaging enough.

Again, I agreed. I can still lose myself in a good book. It's rarer than it used to be, but I can still do it if the material is engaging enough, as you say.

Maybe it that's a good thing? Most of those things are junk that just waste your time.

Probably. I'm not unhappy about the change, really, more curious and a little surprised about it and wondered if others felt it too.

But I actually agree with Timby, all joking aside - if it's more of a "not enjoying the things you love anymore" sort of thing, perhaps you should consider seeing someone for advice and help?

Thanks for the concern, but it's certainly in no way in that category. I still enjoy many other things, it's just that the nature of what I enjoy has changed a great deal. I like good food, good wine, lovely clothes, keeping track of the markets and the news, beautiful places where I can sit and think, laughing at the world with a few important people, and so on and so forth. But general TV/movies/sports/video games... largely lost on me these days. As I said, I find the change more odd and interesting than actually sad, though as is natural with any change, there's an occasional wistfulness mixed in there too.

 

[Adm_Hawthorne]

The first show I sat down and just watched, without doing anything else, over the past 5 years has been "Glee". Before that, the only show I could sit and just watch was "Voyager".

When I was little, I could stare at the tv screen for hours without doing anything else.

I think part of it might be a maturity level in myself. I am not saying that others who do sit and watch for hours are immature. On the contrary, my father is a very mature guy. I'm just saying that for me, personally, I think I just out grew it.

It's fun sometimes, but I can't sit a love on it like I use to.

 

[sidious618]

I can only sit and watch something if I'm going to really enjoy it. I don't do anything else when watching, though. If I'm watching something then I'm going to invest myself in it.

 

[trampledamage]

You all should maybe try being parents - then the time spent to devote to just sitting and watching a show that you want to watch, uninterrupted will be so rare that you will savour every moment of it!

Watching a TV show or a movie, or sitting reading a book (which has always held my interest more than TV) is such a luxury for me at the moment, I revel in the single-tasking of it!

Alternatively, try watching Doctor Who - mr trampledamage was worried I wasn't enjoying it because I was frowning, but actually I was concentrating to make sure I didn't miss anything

 

[Holdfast]

The first show I sat down and just watched, without doing anything else, over the past 5 years has been "Glee".

I made it through about 2 or 3 episodes of Glee when it first started without feeling fidgety. Then the attention span collapse kicked in and I haven't really watched the show properly since. But at the start, yeah, that's what watching TV used to be like all the time for me.

When I was little, I could stare at the tv screen for hours without doing anything else.

It seems we had similar childhoods.

I remember at one point (I must have been about 7 or 8 I guess) going through the TV Times as circling what programmes I was going to watch that day. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was a sad upbringing...

You all should maybe try being parents...

This is a rather drastic and frightening solution. I think I just broke out in hives.

 

[Adm_Hawthorne]

I had my favorite show's times memorized.

 

[Holdfast]

I had my favorite show's times memorized.

I see I've met my match.

 

[Garak]

Oh, and I can always watch an entire sporting event, no matter what time of year it is.

Except Baseball.

 

[Smiley]

I completely understand what you're talking about here. The same phenomenon has been striking me lately. I hope it's reversible because I'd hate to think that I can never again fully enjoy rewatching anything longer than a half-hour sitcom. Some causes of the problem are apparent, but one of the biggest is knowing how much tremendously cool media is out there and how little time we have to experience things. This leads to a greater desire to multitask.

One thing that I need to do is physically block the time display on the Blu-ray player. A casual glance can tell me how far along I am in a program, and that takes me out of enjoying the moment.

Another factor is our constant exposure to the clock and all of the ways that we are plugged in. It's odd that being more aware of the passage of time can dull our ability to make the most of that time.