via Washington Post
Yesterday, November 6th, was a sad day for 90s kids across America. Blockbuster brought us all some disheartening news when it announced the closing of its last 300 American stores, and termination of its DVDs by mail service early next year.
There were still 300 Blockbusters?
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A onetime childhood staple, my Friday nights were often punctuated by sleepovers, Mary Kate and Ashley movies, and running down the bright blue and yellow halls of my neighborhood Blockbuster. Today, I could not tell you the last time I saw one of these stores.
Yet, there really is no mystery around the destruction of the one-time Friday night social center. I am just as guilty as the next. Netflix and HBO GO make procrastination way too easy, and I don’t even have to leave my home to access them. Within the last 5 years these websites have become where I spend a majority of my time on the computer. I hardly need a television, and now that Netflix has amazing instant, and exclusive, content I am even more dependent on this PC.
These days I don’t know anyone without a Netflix account or someone else’s password. When I can instantly stream all of West Wing and The Tudors on Netflix, or Game of Thrones on HBO GO — why would I ever leave my bed?
(Guilty).
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So what does this say about the way we, as consumers, spend our time? Without ever traveling to a store, almost-buying movie candy, or interacting with a human being in the checkout line—we can have movies at our fingertips. How long before physical copies of movies are obsolete altogether?
Is this instant-everything trend good for us, or are we moving toward a society where human interaction, and patience for that matter, is no longer necessary? Before you know it, we could be facing a world like Smart House or Wall-E, and I think we all know how those turned out. Or are all of us nostalgic 20-somethings overreacting to a simple end of another business that will ultimately cause little impact to the big picture? What do you think SL readers? Leave us your favorite Blockbuster memory, or your rainy day Netflix go-tos in the comments below!
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Most of the Blockbusters here in Canada closed last year and it makes me really sad. There are so many great movies that I would never have even heard about without wandering through Blockbuster, unsure of what I wanted to rent. As much as I love Netflix, I find the content to be fairly homogenous (but, then again, Canadian content is limited because of licensing).
Katrina Manning
I enjoyed the days of going to Blockbuster, picking out a few movies, eyeing the bargain bin, and even hoping to grab a few snacks before heading to the register…
Robbin Moore (@RobbinMoore)
I know that I am an anomaly, but I have never rented a movie or DVD.
The availabilty for all products online – from groceries, to clothing, to entertainment (movies, sports, etc.)are increasingly making “brick and mortar” venues obsolete.
Why go to the store, when you can buy what you want online, not worry about parking, and likely get free shipping? A football game in New York in the dead of winter? Why go to the stadium when you can get a huge flat screen tv, watch from the comfort of home, and have the ability to pause, rewind and replay at your own pleasure? If you aren’t 100% picky, you can have fresh foods delivered to the home, or fully prepared meals if you choose.
Technology and all of its trappings/conveniences have proven itself ahead of a society that is not 100% wired. For each instance that a person chooses technological consumption, one should consider that purchase a bang of the hammer on the proverbial coffin that is the American marketplace.