To remain sane, we all need a breather

A couple sitting on a sofa as they watch TV. PHOTO | FOTOSEARCH

What you need to know:

  • My dedication to this show surprised me because I rarely get too attached to anything.
  • Dissatisfied viewers or not, this drama will go down in history as one of the most watched shows in the world.

I have a confession to make: I am a huge fan of Game of Thrones. The day that I discovered it, I binge-watched two seasons, and by the time I talked myself into going to bed because I was going to work the following day, it was 4am in the morning.

You can imagine how frightening I looked to many that day; bleary, bloodshot eyes and all. It is a wonder I managed to get any work done.

PAST EPISODES

I was hooked. I am so invested in this series, I am even in a Facebook group called Ultimate Game Of Thrones Fan Club, where (mostly disappointed) members have been busy reviewing past episodes of Season 8.

I have also subscribed to a watching guide by the New York Times, which reviews past episodes of the final season of this series.

My dedication to this show surprised me because I rarely get too attached to anything. I am the let-it-go type.

I get bored very fast, and my attention span is like that of a goldfish. I tend to move on very fast to the next interesting thing.

I mean, I didn’t even go past the second season of Scandal, another high-grossing show that was everyone’s stew at some point.

FANTASY

My fascination with this fantasy drama must have somehow leaked because last weekend, I received an email asking me to sign a petition going around called "HBO: Remake Game of Thrones Season 8.”

The petition is the handiwork of fans that feel they have been short-changed by the producers of this series after waiting two long years for its conclusion.

Thankfully, my interest in this show is yet to get to fanaticism level, so I am unlikely to make statements such as “All hail the mother of dragons” as way of greeting when I bump into you in the streets. That I am not here yet is the only reason I did not sign the petition.

It is interesting how something as fictitious as this can capture the attention of the whole world, get everyone talking and venting, get the world’s media to dedicate acres of precious space to it.

DRAMA

Dissatisfied viewers or not, this drama will go down in history as one of the most watched shows in the world.

But why the obsession? Thinking about it, part of the explanation could be that with this demanding common factor we all have called life, at some point we need a distraction, something unburdening that will take centre stage for a while and help us to momentarily forget the nagging issues that need our attention. But perhaps I am overthinking.

This fixation could simply be explained by the fact that human beings are like sheep. We tend to do something just because others are doing it.

OLD HAUNTS

We are swept along by the crowd. It is similar to how party-lovers tend to abandon old haunts and move en masse to the newest joint in town. Or maybe it has to do with FOMO, the fear of missing out.

Everyone is talking about it or doing it, and the last thing you want is to be the one person in the room nodding your head to whatever everyone is saying because you have no idea what they are talking about.

The writer is the Editor, Society and Magazines, Daily Nation. [email protected]