People tend to have a love/hate relationship with technology. We use it all the time, yet we often don’t like that it has such a massive role in our lives. While there are downsides to the internet, on balance, there’s no doubt that it has had a positive impact.
And nowhere is that felt more keenly than in how it has transformed how we find and consume content. If you’re a music, movie, or TV show lover, then there’s no chance that you’d prefer to go back to the pre-internet era. Don’t believe us? Just check out the many ways in which technology enhances the entertainment experience, which we’ve outlined below.
On-Demand Content
Want to listen to your favourite album? Rewatch your favourite movie? Check out that television show that everyone has been talking about?
In the past, you’d have to put in significant effort — and likely be quite patient — to make those things happen. With the internet, you can access the content you want within seconds, regardless of where you are. Whether you’re at home, on a train, or on the beach, you have an entire universe of content right at your fingertips.
No Wait Time For New Content
In the past, you’d have to wait for new content. There would typically be quite a big gap between when it was released and when you’d get to enjoy it. For instance, if a new album was released, you’d have to wait until you could get to the store and buy the album. Now, you can simply load up Spotify and listen to it the very first moment that it’s made available. This benefit is felt especially strongly for overseas content. In the past, there would be a significant wait until a person could enjoy the latest anime series. Now, provided they know where to watch anime online, they can watch it essentially at the same time as it is released in Japan. The next time you feel that you’re tired of the internet, just think of how magnificent this benefit is.
Easy to Find New Recommendations
If you’re passionate about movies, music, or television shows, then you’ll likely want to consume as much of it as you can. The internet doesn’t just make it easy to consume such content, but it also makes finding new content you might enjoy a walk in the park. Most streaming platforms provide recommendations to users based on what they’ve previously enjoyed. You can also use online forums, such as Reddit, to discover recommendations from fellow fans.
Diving Deeper Into The Content You Love
Obsessed with a piece of entertainment? Some albums, TV shows, or movies have a big impact, and when you come across one of those pieces, then you’ll want to know as much as you can. In the pre-digital era, that would have been a challenge. There wouldn’t have been many places you could turn to to discover more about the people involved in the project or what the production process was like. Now, all you need to do is Google the name and you’ll be given a treasure trove of information about the project.
It’s Cheaper
You’d think that, given how much better modern entertainment consumption is, it would be more expensive than in the past. But in fact, the opposite is true. Back in the old days, you’d need to spend $15 to buy a new album (which you might not even like; there’d be no way to know until you’d bought it) or spend a small fortune to see a movie in the cinema. Today, you can listen to virtually every album ever made or see all the best movies for the cost of a single, affordable subscription. You’ll need to pay for an internet-connected device, of course, but once you have, a whole world of affordable content will be available to you.
Easier to Connect With Fellow-Fans
There have always been fan groups around. But they were quite challenging to be a part of in any meaningful way. Most of them were just mailing groups. Today, you can easily connect with other people who love the same types of content as you do. All you need to do is join an online forum (again, Reddit is good for this — there are communities for everything).
Conclusion
You’d much rather be a fan of whatever it is you like today than in the past. In the future, the experience of a fan will likely be even better, too, all thanks to technological development.