Relying on Netflix's "Top 10" is like relying on McDonald's for nutrition. You need better filters.
The Essential Tool Kit for Better Popular Media:
We are living in the Golden Age of Access. With a few taps, we can stream a symphony from Vienna, a documentary about Antarctic ice fishing, or the seventh reboot of a superhero franchise. We have more content than ever. And yet, a peculiar hunger remains. We aren’t necessarily looking for more content. We are looking for better content. metart240121ellielunaelliesbathxxx1080 better
But what does "better" actually mean in an industry driven by algorithms and box office projections?
For decades, popular media has operated on a simple formula: familiarity breeds comfort, and comfort breeds profit. Hence the endless parade of sequels, prequels, and cinematic universes. But the audience is evolving. The "scroll fatigue" is real. We are beginning to reject the passive act of "watching something just to have it on" and are craving a different kind of transaction with our entertainment. Relying on Netflix's "Top 10" is like relying
Here is what the next evolution of popular media looks like.
You cannot consume better media if you watch everything the same way. Watching a Marvel movie like you watch a Bergman film is silly; but watching everything at 1.5x speed while scrolling Twitter is a tragedy. With a few taps, we can stream a
The "Active Viewing" Protocol:
The most boring thing a piece of popular media can be right now is "fine." A 6/10 movie that offends no one and excites no one is the true enemy of entertainment. In 2024 and beyond, the "better" content takes risks. It has a point of view. Whether it's the punk-rock chaos of Everything Everywhere All at Once or the brutal realism of Anatomy of a Fall, audiences can smell a committee-designed product from a mile away.
To produce "better" entertainment content in the modern era, creators should focus on: