Media Overload: The Problem With Infinite Choice

The average American spends 13.6 hours consuming media every day from dozens of different sources. By 2015, analysts predict we’ll watch close to 15.5 hours of media on a daily basis.

In short: Our culture has reached media over-saturation. And it’s affecting the way we consume and appreciate content.

Several scientific studies even show that more options actually make us less satisfied. Researchers from Hope College and Yale University studied several thousand subjects and found those who compare and deliberate on their choices more frequently experienced much higher levels of unhappiness — even depression.

What are the implications on a culture like ours that consumes media at an ever-increasing rate?

In our latest Mashable Explains video, we explore the ramifications of our media-obsessed society: the good, the bad and the unexpected. Hide your kids.

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BONUS: Mashable Explains Virality

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