It’s a topic that is up for discussion in many sectors, the entertainment versus education debate. The way used to be, that the television was, and is still sometimes, considered to be the idiot box, and you got your true education from schools and the real life, but it seems that now, Netflix is possibly more beneficial than education. But is this actually the case? Let’s try and answer the question.

How We Consume Information

The first thing that we have to discuss is the manner in which we consume information now. While education 20 years ago or longer was pivotal to our ability to develop an all-round knowledge, it’s not just about the school system and the library anymore. Now, as has been stated millions of times, we can get facts and figures at our fingertips, meaning that the age old argument when it comes to any subject, is nonexistent. Arguments can be solved in seconds flat, meaning that there is more time in which to consume more relevant information. Of course, the way we consume information now has its detractors, especially the literary elite, but because of suppliers like Audible, and even the fact that you can access a lot of books online, either for free, or for a small cost to be installed on your tablet, access to information has never been more comprehensive. As the result, the subsidiary content providers, like Netflix and other streaming services, are upping their game. We are consuming more information through the internet then we are any other means. Before, the television was used as a piece of entertainment, but there was only small pockets of content that aims to break from the norm, and now, because of the internet, there is that much more choice, and therefore, a lot more iconoclastic content. Because streaming services are now a replacement for the typical television set up, this means that we have immediate access to the things we want so we can absorb it better, and move on to the next thing. With something like Netflix, it’s vital that the content be groundbreaking. The fact that there are so many different styles of documentaries commissioned by Netflix alone, highlights the fact that they are looking to create content that’s not for the general public consumption, but caters for the minority. And the great thing about a lot of these new and groundbreaking shows is that it’s creating a new definition of entertainment. When people are looking for the right entertainment to suit them, there is so much choice, but there is something to get them thinking. This is such an important part of what the internet does in general, and specifically, Netflix is doing for the general public in terms of what information they consume.

The Subject Matter

Using Netflix as a prominent example, the wide variety of content is something to be commended. It seems that everybody has access to a Netflix subscription, but, depending on the age group, a lot will go for the documentaries. The Making A Murderer series is one of those examples that has turned so many people on to true crime. As such, people are not able to get enough, and are delving further into this type of programming. But it’s not just true crime that Netflix can boast as its prime original content; it’s doing a lot for other subject matter that isn’t always widely exposed, especially in mainstream formats. Documentaries like Take Your Pills, What The Health, and 13th cover the subject of nootropics, veganism, and the Black Lives Matter movement respectively. Even in today’s diverse mainstream television, you would struggle to find this subject matter covered. And with many internet and cable providers having Netflix as part of its subscription package, the vast majority of us are being challenged. That’s the great thing about, not just Netflix, but most streaming services, it goes for minority programming, and doesn’t take the easy way. As a result, for most people who are looking to educate themselves on subject matter, Netflix provides a very engaging entryway.

The Benefits Of Screen Time On Kids

And while we’re talking about Netflix being a supreme form of entertainment, there are many people who have concerns when it comes to screen time with kids. Granted, too much screen time is bad for any child, but it’s been shown that a moderate amount is actually good for children’s cognitive abilities. They can learn things much quicker, and develop far quicker with a device than without. And naturally, most parents are reticent to placate a child with a tablet or device, because of questionable YouTube content, Netflix appears to have a lot more diverse content, not just for young kids, but for all ages. But if you take a deeper look into most children’s content now, especially in comparison to 20 or 30 years ago, there is a lot more depth to the subject matter. Titles like Dora The Explorer and Blaze And The Monster Machines engage preschool children in Spanish and physics, respectively. There is a lot more educational benefits in children’s TV shows than a decade ago and as children grow older demanding high quality and educational stuff, this will help to nurture more intelligent children. If you were a child of the 80s or 90s, the children’s shows weren’t particularly that educational, but if you want to relive your childhood, half of these are on Netflix too!

Is Education Redundant?

Of course, it would be a bit foolish to say that Netflix could replace education, but it certainly has a hand in getting children to develop themselves a lot quicker. Before the internet, your approach to education as a child would be to learn what you are told to learn, and not necessarily question constructs. Now, there is so much more access to the big wide world, but as far as an individual’s education is concerned, it can encourage them to be much more of an autodidact. And while there are concerns relating to children growing up too fast because of the wide variety of information out there, when they are old enough to make their own choices, especially teenagers, they’ve got a very strenuous educational system. Education now is far more pressurized, and so, when children are looking for good quality down time, it’s still not wasted time. The fact is, because of streaming services out there, there is a lot more in the way of quality for every child. Not only streaming services, but services like Audible provide audiobooks, and there are numerous podcasts available, and, as this is the way most people consume content now, there’s a lot more streamlining going on. In other words, we can pick and choose the content that suits us, and our tastes. While there is an argument that you don’t have to necessarily diversify yourself, on the other hand, if you wanted to try a book because it seemed interesting, yet you knew nothing about the subject matter, it could send you down a rabbit hole into a whole new subject matter. And this is the great thing about something like Netflix, because a documentary about Bitcoin, for example, is only a couple of hours of your time. When you think about the standard educational system, you’re stuck in school all day, every day. But if there’s something that piques your interest on Netflix, or online, taking the opportunity to watch and learn about a new and interesting subject matter has never been easier.

It is unfair to malign films and television as an idiot form of entertainment, especially now. Providers like Netflix give out so much diverse and thought-provoking material that it’s as beneficial as an education. And while the internet in general is still peddling to catch up with how to provide quality educational contact, Netflix seems to be doing it in a way that is so easily digestible, that for such a small for a month, it seems almost criminal! But, the fact is a lot of us dumped use Netflix for this purpose, instead, we would rather watch things that we used to enjoy. And that is the peril of choosing your own entertainment now. So in the balance, Netflix is a worthwhile tool to develop your education, but it’s not necessarily the be all and end all. Yeah the thing you have to bear in mind is if the makers of the content operate with some form of bias, but this is why Netflix is a very handy springboard to diverse subject matters, because it’s something really catches your interest, you can delve deeper into it. This is always the bias you are going to encounter, regardless of what you watch on the internet or on TV but as a means to a larger world, the internet, and streaming services like Netflix, have an essential place in society. Like it or not, it is here to stay, so it’s important that we make the most of as a surplus to our education.