Active and Passive Entertainment

Day 326 / 366

I was late to the whole reels and shorts thing. I used Instagram just to view photos posted by my friends, and once a few months, I would post a photo of mine. I always thought that TikTok, Instagram reels and all were stupid, and I never understood why people were always viewing those. But once I started, it didn’t take long for me to get addicted as well.

Nowadays, I can easily spend an hour or so watching reels. Most of them are repetitive, and it makes no sense why I like to watch them, but I still do.

Things like reels are modes of passive entertainment. They don’t require you to think or spend any amount of energy. Just sit, consume, and be mildly amused. The same goes for re-watching old TV series or YouTube videos. It’s mindless entertainment. You lose time and you gain nothing.

Lately, I have been making attempts to replace these with modes of active entertainment. Reading books is one. And I am not just talking about non-fiction or self-help. Even reading fictional novels would add something to your life. You will feel entertained and you will learn something.

Active modes of entertainment do not have to be boring. Even playing certain video games is an active source of entertainment, as long as they are done in moderation. Games help develop your hand-eye coordination, your quick thinking and problem-solving skills. Replacing reels with video games would have the same effect as replacing Coke with Diet Coke.