Comfort Shows and Embracing Formulaic Content
“I need something mindless I can turn on and not have to think too hard.” If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably said this phrase, or something similar, at the end of a long day. Whether it is the Great British Baking Show, The Kardashians, lawn mowing videos on YouTube, or reruns of Friends -- everyone likely has that one “comfort show” they go to anytime they need to decompress and don’t want to watch something too deep or heavy.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with falling back on a “comfort show” for mindless watching, it does reinforce Adorno and Horkheimer’s idea that pleasure can turn into boredom because by its very nature, it doesn’t require much effort. I think that is part of why, when pop culture feels formulaic, we still consume and enjoy it. It doesn’t require a lot of effort for us to follow along, and even if we are bored of the formula, we like the comfort of knowing how the story is going to end. I find this to be especially true with structured reality television. There is a very consistent formula used that the audience can expect each episode to follow. For example, Netflix’s Queer Eye starts each episode with the “Fab Five” meeting the “hero”, or person receiving the makeover, at their home. Then, each one of the 5 hosts gets a short segment to help the hero improve within their specific area of expertise (fashion, food, interior design, culture, grooming) before the big reveal of the new hero to their family and friends. I like this type of show as a “comfort” watch, because I know what to expect and can zone out and come back to it and know exactly where we’re at in the formula. Applying this context, I can understand why Adorno and Horkheimer felt like the formulaic nature of pop culture makes audiences less intelligent, because, as they saw it, it leaves no room for imagination and doesn’t make audiences think. In today’s world of millions of TV shows, movies, music, and social media content at our fingertips, it’s easy to feel overstimulated by the amount of choices we have and the content we consume, so much so that we may slip into boredom and comfort instead of imaginative and sustained thought.
Ultimately, Adorno and Horkheimer’s thoughts on pop culture represent a compelling argument. Countless options for content have led to television, movies and other pop culture artifacts becoming increasingly formulaic. In some ways, we as audiences and consumers of these artifacts have led to -- sometimes without even realizing it -- comfort, boredom, and a lack of critical thought. That said, I don’t think I’m going to quit my mindless, stress relieving re-watch of The Great British Baking Show anytime soon.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with falling back on a “comfort show” for mindless watching, it does reinforce Adorno and Horkheimer’s idea that pleasure can turn into boredom because by its very nature, it doesn’t require much effort. I think that is part of why, when pop culture feels formulaic, we still consume and enjoy it. It doesn’t require a lot of effort for us to follow along, and even if we are bored of the formula, we like the comfort of knowing how the story is going to end. I find this to be especially true with structured reality television. There is a very consistent formula used that the audience can expect each episode to follow. For example, Netflix’s Queer Eye starts each episode with the “Fab Five” meeting the “hero”, or person receiving the makeover, at their home. Then, each one of the 5 hosts gets a short segment to help the hero improve within their specific area of expertise (fashion, food, interior design, culture, grooming) before the big reveal of the new hero to their family and friends. I like this type of show as a “comfort” watch, because I know what to expect and can zone out and come back to it and know exactly where we’re at in the formula. Applying this context, I can understand why Adorno and Horkheimer felt like the formulaic nature of pop culture makes audiences less intelligent, because, as they saw it, it leaves no room for imagination and doesn’t make audiences think. In today’s world of millions of TV shows, movies, music, and social media content at our fingertips, it’s easy to feel overstimulated by the amount of choices we have and the content we consume, so much so that we may slip into boredom and comfort instead of imaginative and sustained thought.
Ultimately, Adorno and Horkheimer’s thoughts on pop culture represent a compelling argument. Countless options for content have led to television, movies and other pop culture artifacts becoming increasingly formulaic. In some ways, we as audiences and consumers of these artifacts have led to -- sometimes without even realizing it -- comfort, boredom, and a lack of critical thought. That said, I don’t think I’m going to quit my mindless, stress relieving re-watch of The Great British Baking Show anytime soon.
Does today's "mindless watching" reinforce Adorno and Horkheimer's idea of pop culture's formulaic content leading to boredom or lack of critical thought?
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