Spoiler Alert: This article references Season 4 of The Good Place
Like many of you, I spend a lot of time on the internet for both productive and entertainment purposes. After a long day, I eagerly open up YouTube and I feel like the possibilities are endless for what I can watch. I find a video that intrigues me and the spiral begins. In about an hour or so I feel kind of numb and unsatisfied with how I spent my time. Recently I have been thinking about how the internet functions in the same way that the Good Place does in the sitcom of the same name.
In the episode “Patty”, the character Hypatia, played by Lisa Kudrow explains that when one comes to the Good Place, they get to experience paradise in which all of their needs are met and all of their wishes are granted for eternity. Eventually, this turns them into a “happiness zombie” and they seem to forget the reason why they are in paradise. The internet has a similar way of providing instant gratification for us in this hyper-connected society, and our overuse of it can often make us forget our intention as to why we went to it in the first place. This isn’t a perfect comparison because the internet definitely isn’t paradise, it is the reason for many perils in our society, and we don’t have access to the internet for eternity. But I do think this comparison offers some insight as to how we can prevent the internet from making zombies out of us.
The solution that everyone comes up with is by creating a final door where people can go when they are done experiencing paradise and peacefully end their time in the universe. Earlier in the series Eleanor Shellstrop, played by Kristen Bell explained to Micheal, an immortal demon played by Ted Danson that “Every human is a little bit sad all the time because you know that you are going to die, but that knowledge is what gives life meaning.” The group revisits this idea in the episode “Patty” as the reason that the only way to give the Good Place meaning is to let the people leave.
Similarly, I feel that the internet is only special when you know there is a limited time that you can use it. When I was younger and had to ask for permission to use my computer I remember being much more careful with how I was spending my time. Granted I was only playing computer games but I remember the experience being a lot more fun because I knew it wasn’t something I could do all the time (although I might have wanted to). As adults, I think it’s important to learn how to set those limits for ourselves so that the time we do spend online is fulfilling.