By MAKENNA WOOD
Staff Writer
The idealization of entertainment includes the belief society holds that it does not carry enough weight to heavily and negatively affect people; entertainment is simply a means to entertain. However, the entertainment that people have access to actually influences society’s morals and values quite often. Therefore, entertainment certainly has the capability to disrupt and ruin society.
The negative mental health effects that entertainment leaves with civilization are currently catching up to society causing it to become bruised and battered. Entertainment is often associated with social media but it accounts for many other types as well such as TV, movies, and yes even books. These types are different from social media in the way of how they affect their audience. These genres of entertainment are heavily exaggerated but brought to their audience as very real and possible situations. This leaves the audience with high expectations that will most likely never be met. The disappointment of these unmet high expectations is something that most people have experienced. Because it is a universal feeling, society is kept in a sort of fog or haze that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. Now that entertainment has caused people to romanticize a life that will never be theirs they end up resenting their own life. While others would argue that high expectations are what keep society going it is indeed the opposite. High expectations cause people to fall behind in a made-up scenario that they have created simply because entertainment told them it was possible and expectant.
While entertainment is meant to bring joy to people’s lives it has ultimately brought them despair. As a society that has fallen victim to the trap of entertainment, it is our responsibility to dig ourselves out of this hole and fight for a life worth living. Fight for a life where society is flourishing instead of dying.