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Looking for new insights and life lessons? Watch Netflix
Binge-watch your favorite series all day long or clear your head with a comedy or real life soap is perfect amusement, we get it! But every now and then you may feel a bit empty and your brain needs new stimuli. Then Netflix is probably not the first thing that comes to your mind. Yet it is true. The most popular streaming service in the world has more than enough series and documentaries to offer an increase of your general knowledge or at least makes you think twice about several social subjects. From great life lessons to new insights – you don't learn them in school, but at Netflix. With the top 5 below, the search for it has already been done for you.
Cowspiracy / Seaspiracy
Cowspiracy was published in 2014 and is about the impact of livestock farming and bio industry on the environment, and how environmental organizations deal with this. Documentary filmmaker Kip Anderson takes you on a shocking journey to find a solution to the world's most pressing environmental problems; from food waste to CO2 emissions. This much-discussed documentary has been an eye-opener for many people. And as you might guess: what mankind does above waters, they also do underneath the surface. This year, Seaspiracy was released on Netflix and focuses on the environmental impact of fishing. Both documentaries make it painfully clear that something has to change in the way we consume. Do you choose meat and fish substitutes more often after watching these documentaries?
100 Humans
More interested in the motivations of your own species? Then the documentary series 100 Humans is a must-see for you. As mankind is a mystery and therefore worth investigating. In 8 episodes, various life questions are dealt with. The topics in this series are: attraction, age, gender, prejudice, happiness, pain, pleasure and your senses. 100 candidates reflect American society and are presented with various questions and tests. Fascinating facts are interspersed with the humor of the presenters. After all, it doesn't have to be too serious on a lazy Sunday afternoon, right?
The Social Dilemma
Do you think you can make your own choices on social media and Google? Think again! In The Social Dilemma it becomes clear what the actual influence of social media is on our daily lives. It is probably not unknown that your search results are worth money. Ones you’ve searched for white sneakers, they pop up everywhere. But it goes beyond that. In this 1.5-hour documentary, various experts and former employees of these services talk about the dark side of social media. Scientist Ed Tufte said: "There are two industries that call their customers 'users', hard drugs and software." Watch and decide for yourself.
Minimalism
Do you want to make a sustainable contribution to the world? Then you can of course separate waste, cycle more often or eat less meat, but have you also thought about decluttering? In this documentary, minimalists Joshua Fields and Ryan Nicodemus take you on their journey to a 'less is more' lifestyle. They went from very poor to very rich only to find out that being able to buy everything you want doesn't make happy at all. So are you the one measuring your success by grades or get jealous sometimes of friends who can buy the latest iPhone? Then Minimalism should be on your watch-list! This documentary shows what really matters in life.
My Octopus Teacher
My Octopus Teacher is the perfect ending to this list and tells the special story of filmmaker Graig Foster. He struggles with a burnout and depressive feelings and decides to go to South Africa where he goes swimming in the sea every day. There he meets an octopus with whom he develops a special bond. Friendship with an octopus? You have every reason to be skeptical. But after seeing this documentary you will definitely be in love with the animal and chances are small that you will ever order calamaris again. My Octopus Teacher shows how beautiful the (underwater) world around us actually is!