US GDP per capitaNetflix original titles released per year
Netflix has been releasing more shows in proportion to how rich the average American has become, which is either the best argument for trickle-down economics or the worst. The country grew. So did the queue. Whether either is being watched is another question.
Two parallel growth stories. Netflix's original content output exploded after 2013 as the company shifted from licensing to in-house production, while US GDP per capita rose steadily through the post-recession recovery. Neither curve drives the other; both are products of an entertainment company doubling down and an economy compounding through the 2010s.
So the correlation is one library expanding and one paycheck expanding, side by side. Neither asked the other for permission. The queue keeps growing.
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Want to learn more about why correlations like “US GDP per capita” vs “Netflix original titles released per year” don't prove causation? Read our guide to statistical thinking.
