Ask Pappy #12: Why Can’t I Finish Anything Anymore?

Reader Letter: Dear Pappy, I consider myself a true lover of the arts, but lately, I find myself stuck in a frustrating cycle where I can’t seem to finish anything I start. Whether it’s the latest prestige TV drama, a blockbuster movie, or even a highly-rated video game, I lose interest halfway through and end up staring at the ceiling. It feels like my attention span has completely evaporated, Am I the problem, or is the industry just giving us "content" instead of art?

Now kid, that’s a question half of Hollywood should be asking themselves. But between you and me, it ain’t all bad out there. It’s just loud.

See, back in my day, we had to choose what to watch. One movie, one ticket, one night. Now you’ve got a buffet of stories screaming for attention, and somehow, you’re supposed to care about every single one. That’s not entertainment — that’s a hostage situation with a pause button.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re not broken. You’re just tired from trying to keep up with a projector that never stops spinning.

We used to finish movies because we couldn’t afford not to. You bought that ticket, you sat through the whole thing — even if the third act smelled worse than the nacho cheese. But now, when everything’s one click away, commitment feels like homework.

You don’t need to feel guilty for walking out of a movie (or a show, or a season, or a series). Life’s too short to spend on stories that don’t move you.

But, and this is important, don’t confuse exhaustion with apathy. Sometimes the mind just needs quiet before it can care again. The trick is to fall back in love with watching. Rewatch an old favorite, something you know by heart. Let it remind you why you love stories in the first place.

The slump will pass. It always does. You can’t stay numb forever — not when there’s still magic flickering out there in the dark.

So no, kid, everything isn’t bad. You’re just a little over-buttered.

Stay kind, stay curious, and don’t spill the butter on your way out.

— Pappy Hull, The Popcorn Philosopher

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