Climate Change, AI, Migration: Never-Ending Stories?
A few of years ago, cultural scholar Dr. Nathalie Weidenfeld made some bold claims in an article titled Storytelling without an end in the Süddeutsche Zeitung: Weidenfeld argues that TV and streaming series are contributing to the infantilization of society. Her premise? The incessant craving for never-ending stories from so-called “series junkies” mirrors the behavior of children pleading for bedtime stories. We all want that cozy, comforting storytelling experience to go on forever. When a story finally reaches its conclusion, we’re forced to bid farewell to beloved characters and step out of their fantastical world—only to face the dull grind of reality, with its mundane tasks and real-world problems. Is there some truth to this? Perhaps. For ever and ever and ever Her second claim is just as provocative: According to Weidenfeld, major human issues like climate change, digitalization, or migration have been reduced to perpetual series themes. The key players—politicians, tech gia
