I have stopped paying my Netflix subscription and am I regretting it?
Since a few months ago my Netflix account has been deactivated and although I have to confess that at the beginning it was like this for quite some time now something has happened that even I didn’t expect: Am I regretting having taken this step?
The end of shared accounts was the definitive step to unsubscribe from Netflix. As most of the Spanish population shared account with some friends and with its end I decided to turn my back to the platform.
Considering that I currently subscribe to Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney+ and even SkyShowtime, what could go wrong?
Initially I consider that I made the right decision. There is plenty of great movie and series content on the other streaming platforms so my entertainment needs were going to be perfectly covered.
Initially, I felt a sense of “relief and liberation” not having to worry about who was using my account or if I was losing money each month. I allowed myself to enjoy my time without the constant temptation to “see what’s new” on Netflix and if anything was getting me hooked. The answer was always the same: Netflix doesn’t bring me anything interesting.
A Netflix downgrade that has been a bit expensive for me.
However, as the months have gone by, I started to experience something strange. I realized that I had lost something in the process of completely disconnecting from this platform.
Netflix had become an integral part of my daily life – even if I didn’t consume it – and even though I had decided to put it aside, I now find myself reactivating my account and paying almost 8 euros to watch its content.
The release of new seasons of my favorite series or the premiere of movies that seemed to interest me now began to rumble in my head.
That’s when I decided to subscribe again, but in a different way. Instead of keeping a continuous subscription, I decided to do it for random months. I thought this would allow me to satisfy my entertainment cravings from time to time without falling into the trap of constant dependency or paying for the whole year.
However, this approach has only complicated my feelings towards Netflix. In the months that I am subscribed, I fully enjoy everything the platform has to offer. As it were I only have eyes for Netflix – logically I know it’s only going to be that month and that’s it.
But when it comes time to cancel my subscription -which I often do once I subscribe to avoid forgetting-, I again experience that feeling of loss and disconnection. Plus, Netflix always comes along with the release of X or Y that even causes me to make a list to see if it’s worth another month.
A psychological issue? I would say yes
Indeed, the psychological aspect of this situation is something that baffles me. Before I cancelled my Netflix subscription, I didn’t consume that much audiovisual content. Although I knew there were a lot of movies and series available, I didn’t feel the need to keep up with all the new releases.
It’s as if unplugging had awakened a desire for content that I wasn’t interested in before. This contradiction between wanting to avoid the commitment of an ongoing subscription and at the same time craving access to that catalog of entertainment at any time is crazy.
Sometimes I wonder if this behavior is a manifestation of today’s society, where instant gratification and constant availability are the norm. Perhaps my mind has become accustomed to the idea of having everything at my fingertips and I find it hard to accept that with Netflix this is no longer the case.
I don’t know if this is simply a psychological phenomenon or if there are deeper factors at play. Netflix continues to be an enigma for me, but I have to confess that even though I haven’t reactivated my account this month, I’m waiting for June to come so I can accumulate all the content I want to watch.