Editor’s note: This article was republished on February 9, 2026 following an updated website transfer that caused it to be removed. The article was originally published on January 22, 2026.
The launch of Music Television (MTV) marked a new age of culture in 1981, ushering in a revolutionary movement of technology with their debut music video, “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles. The song functioned both as a catchy tune and a declaration. In with the new and out with the old: Radio was no longer enough.
The introduction of MTV — a network that provided audiences with visuals paired with sounds — radically changed the way people consumed music. Decades later, what had initially seemed like a celebratory, momentous occasion is now a moment of irony in the 21st century.
As the song declares, the advancement of technology killed the radio star, but it hasn’t stopped there. While each new wave of technology in entertainment continues to ease and further simplify people’s lives, it demands more of their attention. This attention trap silently pervades the senses and, most concerningly, people’s patience.
This effect is most apparent in 2025 media consumption, particularly in the entertainment industry. Just as MTV once revolutionized how music was listened to, streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have reworked the way television is watched. In contrast to the on-demand streaming capabilities of today, cable television — despite its limitations — fostered a valuable skill: patience. Episodes aired weekly, so schedules for shows were noted in the back of minds. Anticipation was truly at an all-time high. Waiting for the next installment of a show after a cliffhanger was unavoidable — and in that time gap, viewers were forced to dwell on the momentary bliss of an elusive 20 minutes of weekly showtime. A clockwork developed: enjoyment, reflection, discussion and anticipation.
Without the patience needed for cable television, streaming services have eliminated the emotional investment of waiting by the television for the next episode. People now binge through seasons of shows, swiftly eliminating any sense of intentionality and replacing it with mind-numbing consumption. When there is no anticipation, the emotional payoff of scheduled storytelling loses its gleam. Episodes now blur together into a continuous stream of information — a current of binge-watching endurance instead of weekly engagement.
When entertainment is readily available, it crosses a dangerous psychological line between a lively pastime and a dangerous dopamine dependency. Dopaminergic addictions occur when dopamine — a neurotransmitter that works to reinforce habits and reward-seeking behaviors — floods the addiction system in the brain whenever actions that feel good are performed. The capacity for delayed gratification ceases to exist, while addiction sets in. As a result of constant gratification due to dependency on dopamine in the addiction system, patience — a learned skill, is effectively compromised. Unlike other forms of addiction, entertainment addiction manifests quietly, resulting in elevated amounts of dopamine released in the brain.
Constant availability has trained people to become expectant of readily available entertainment at any second. As a result, the old waiting game for cable television has become reminiscent of the past, rather than a natural way of life. Research by NYU marketing professor Adam Alter argues that readily available entertainment — like streaming services and social media — is deliberately alluring and resembles the consequences of substance addiction. It rewires conditioned responses to seek immediate gratification, effectively deteriorating a person’s patience. The result is an endless cycle that renders entertainment less enjoyable in the long run. The more content consumed at unsustainable rates, the less satisfying it is — and the harder it becomes to recognize the addiction.
Beyond diminishing patience, the shift from cable television to streaming services spills over into other aspects of people’s lives. In the past, extended periods of pause were moments of luxury. Now, there is a discomfort in waiting and most people’ attention spans are shortened. Streaming didn’t merely simplify the way television is watched — on-demand entertainment has conditioned people to live their lives on instant gratification.
While “Video Killed the Radio Star” once shone brightly at the forefront of technological advancement, its message glows rather dully today. If people continue to welcome and integrate every opportunity of convenience into their lives, they will neverendingly choose to gain short-term satisfaction, surrendering the important capacity to wait with intentionality, presence and reflection.
Michaela Okuyama is an Opinion Intern for the fall 2025 quarter. She can be reached at okuyamam@uci.edu.
Edited by Isabella Ehring
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