Don't Just Consume the Latest Media

2026-07-26

I'm going to do a full article on this topic at some point as I've though a lot about it, but here is the summarised version, motivated by the talk about GTA VI.

You shouldn't just watch the latest movies, or play the latest games. Don't view your media diet as limited to what is "current". When you want to watch a movie or play a game, you should look at all the options, not just the latest stuff.

This sounds daunting as there is a lot of media out there, but it's easy to narrow it down. If you own a PS4, and want to play an RPG, search for lists of the best RPGs on PS4. Or just make an arbitrary choice to narrow it down ("I want to play an RPG on the PS2"). Even adding in arbitrary constraints is better than just consuming the latest thing, as over time the best stuff tends to rise to the top.

Even if the quality of media you get isn't better, it's also just a more mindful way to consume media, which is better by itself, as you are more aware of what you are watching/playing, what you like to watch/play etc.

A few examples from myself:

• I wanted to play a GTA game, so I looked at all the 3D ones and decided GTA IV is probably the best one for me to try, as it's set in New York, a city I'm fascinated by, and it's got a good public transport system represented in the game, which is one of my favourite things.
• I want to get into RPGs, so I looked through a bunch of best RPG lists and eventually settled on trying either FF VI (on GBA) or Fire Emblem 8 (also on GBA).

It's also possible to curate the content you see online so you aren't just seeing constant current-slop coverage. I deleted my YouTube account a while ago, but before I did I never really saw news about game releases, or movie trailers, because I didn't watch that kind of content. If you mainly watch old NerdCubed videos, Scott the Woz videos and music show performances, you won't really see a trailer for the Odyssey or GTA VI.