Netflix and Chill

I love Netflix. I really do.

Sometimes it feels strange to live in this day and age. Often I wish I was born about 300 years in the past; occasionally, I think it would be nice to be born about 300 years in the future. I'd either want to live in a small village and not worry about the world, or I'd want to live in a world not as confused and crazy as this one.

In the future, the web will not be about entertainment as much as it will be about education. I mean, we have the technology for it already, but most people still think education is something you buy rather than earn. Maybe one day school will be about grades, not tuition. Maybe every subject will have instructional videos and tests in an online format that can actually get people into whatever they're willing to earn.

Today, I'm definitely unemployed and possibly asexual. Relating to people is hard but relating to stories is easy. I like stories because it's like being part of something intimate. I like stories about fucked up people doing fucked up things.

Maybe I'll never be good enough at jumping through hoops and filling out paperwork to get a job I enjoy. But I have to keep hope alive. I hope for work that I don't hate. I hope I can afford food and gas without having to lie too much for it.

But what I really hope for is real adventures with real people. Junk food and binge-watching television is not what I'd call an adventure. But it's better than things I've done in the past. It's better than sex with strangers. If there can ever be love for a person like me, it'll be after I can love alone time; love talking to the right ghosts about the right things.

Netflix has had some real quality shows lately. Two that I've enjoyed very much have been 13 Reasons Why and The End of the F***ing World. Both these shows have had some young actors doing some quality acting.

I'd advise you watch the shows before finishing this article.

13 Reasons Why is a tragedy. One of the main characters kills herself. Much of the series is a young boy, former romantic interest of the girl who ends her life, coming to terms with his own guilt and shame. It was her choice. It wasn't really his fault. But it was partially his fault and that's what's tearing him up.

It's a great reflection on the tragedy of suicide. If ever it's justified, her's was. But is it ever really justified? She could have faced her problems and overcome them. She could have been an inspiration to her friends for being the kind of person who loves herself and demands justice.

"Some of you cared, but none of you cared enough," is one of the last things she says. She hurt the people who loved her so much.

The End of the F***ing World is more of a dark comedy. If I ever live a life interesting enough for someone else to make a movie about it, I'd want dark comedy to be their main focus.

It's a story about a seriously messed up young couple. Each one is seriously messed up for some serious reasons. But these are kids who love themselves and find out that they also love each other.

The next show Netflix tried to recommend was Atypical. No thanks, Netflix-bot. I really don't want to watch a show about a weird person who is surrounded by normal people just doing their darn'dest to love this weird person.

I prefer shows about people who could have possibly been normal if it wasn't for some seriously fucked up trauma; people who survive.

The End of the F***ing World ends on the worst kind of cliffhanger. I love to hate this cliffhanger. Does the boy get murdered by the police or no!?! He had a chance to turn himself in to a good cop who could have helped him. Then, he ran. Because he's stupid? Because he's young? Because too many people were talking all at once and he didn't know who to listen to? He ran.

The series ends with a blank screen and the sound of a gunshot. Is he murdered by insecure conservatives who refuse to believe he's not really a danger to society? Is he injured but still alive?

If ever they come out with a second season, I'll be first in line to watch it. But I'll leave it at that. I'm not about to read the book it was based on or troll the internet for production information and release dates. Sometimes I feel guilty for liking movies better than books, but only sometimes.

I like quality movies and shows. I like to lose myself in them. The remake of Hairspray was so much worse than the original. The horror movie It was very good, but I'd rather not see the original movie. 'The Lord of the Rings' movies were a bit better than the books, just because the books tend to get long-winded. The Hobbit as a book was so much better than the three 'Hobbit' movies. Those movies got beyond long-winded. The original Star Wars movies were so much better than the new ones. Sometimes, turning a vision into a franchise ruins it.

Video killed the radio star. Online streaming is killing cable television.

I don't have enough real friends to talk to about book and movie reviews. I write here now.