Look at what happened with the Criterion Channel. It's a niche service for film lovers, right? But even they have to chase subscribers now. Meanwhile, Netflix buried original quirky indie films like "The Irishman" under their algorithm. The data says people watch comfort shows, so they pump out more of the same. It's not about art anymore. It's about keeping you clicking. I remember when you could walk into a video store and pick something weird on a whim. Now your choices are pre-filtered by a machine telling you what's safe. That's killing variety.

I get what you're saying about paying for services - nobody works for free, totally fair. But you're missing the bigger picture here. My buddy runs a small indie theater and he's seen it firsthand. These platforms aren't just charging us, they're actively shaping what gets made. Netflix greenlights another true crime doc instead of taking a chance on that weird foreign film because the algorithm says it's safer. That's not just about payment, that's about control. You pay your subscription, but you're also handing over your taste to a robot. Remember when you'd browse a rental store and discover something completely random? Those days are gone. Subscription services make money off predictability, not variety.