Nick Perry says reality TV, horror movies, and true-crime binges rewire your brain in ways that keep you broke and anxious. Reality TV activates mirror neurons that rehearse bad behavior, horror triggers constant stress responses, and true crime makes you expect the worst from people. He recommends switching to podcasts and books instead.
Watching these three things is doing way more harm to your brain than you realize. This is backed by neuroscience, but it's still going to ruffle some feathers. Number one, reality tv. Reality TV wires your brain to create more problems in your life through this thing called Mirror Neuron. They fire when you're watching other people's behavior, essentially making your brain practice these patterns so when keeping up with bullshit like the fucking Kardashians, you're actually practicing those behaviors in your brain. Next up, we have horror movies, which are even worse because your amygdala, your brain's alarm system, doesn't know the difference between real and fake threats. Every jump scare triggers your fight or flight response. Your body floods with stress hormones. And lastly, the most dangerous of them all, true crime. When you've consumed hours of murder stories, you're literally training your brains to expect the worst from humanity. Instead of watching these things, listen to a podcast or read a book. It's a way better use of your time and will fill your bank account.
