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I think <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2009/08/netflix.php">this post</a> from Jonah Lehrer succinctly identifies a problem I've struggled with but haven't had a name for until now. I think I shall call it Netflix Pretension Syndrome (NPS).



I really need two Netflix queues. One where I put all the pretentious crap that I think I'm supposed to enjoy and then another queue that holds Will Ferrell comedies, Pulp Fiction, Arrested Development Season 1, action movies, and the last four Oscar winners for best visual effects. Whenever the HAL 9000 that runs the Netflix queuing system notes that I have not returned a particularly pretentious documentary about the Agro-Industrial complex or that director's cut of L'Avventura it automatically sends me an extra DVD from my "rescue" queue with a little note in the sleeve that says, "Feel free to return L'Avventura immediately. We'll ask you to rate it and we'll put it in your RSS feed; but don't worry, we won't actually use the rating when suggesting additional films you might like. Your secret is safe with us. Love, The Netflix Team."



I would gladly pay an additional $20 a year for this feature.