For a modern person, watching television is a way to relax, plunge into other worlds, fantasize, dream, escape from reality. Movies and movie theaters have become a generally accessible, inexpensive way to enjoy everyday life. Cinema brings people together, evokes emotions, shapes consciousness, and conveys the idea of its creators. These and many other factors directly affect the psychological state of a person and his behavior. In this essay, I will argue that cinema affects human life from three points of view: the association with characters, the emergence of subcultures, and the redefinition of the perception of certain events.
First, in every movie or TV series, some characters carry a particular philosophy from the screens. A considerable number of behavioral habits that we notice in people around are taken from the movies. People like it when the main character in a film or TV series speaks loud words does incredible things, makes sacrifices for their own purpose. Unconsciously, a person tries to imitate what they like. The formation of “cinema ideals” begins in early childhood and does not end until the end of life, while a person looks with interest at the TV screen. There is a trap that often works since people associate themselves with characters that have nothing to do with reality — the imposition of stereotyped behavior. Love should begin exactly as in “Titanic” or “The Notebook,” the slightest glance at another girl and many other stereotypes that came out of the movie screens can be considered treason. The film industry forms stereotyped behavior and stereotyped attitude towards various situations, which is why a person cannot look at the problem more broadly and consider it from different points of view.
Second, cinema can bring people together. Sometimes it is not just an exchange of opinions or a heated argument after seeing a picture. People begin to gather in interest groups regarding a particular work. The most striking example of this is the Tolkienists, who, first of all, have an extreme opposition in-group and out-group. Of course, everyone is free to spend their free time as they see fit, but sometimes such behavior leads to negative consequences. People from such subcultures sometimes become asocial with all the ensuing consequences.
Third, movies and TV shows can influence the perception of certain phenomena, even if the creators’ intention was different from the consequences. For example, the series “13 Reasons Why” tells about a girl who committed suicide. Throughout 13 episodes, events unfold there from the point of view of her friends, showing what exactly led to the tragedy. On the one hand, the show teaches that one needs to be considerate of other people and more careful in communication. On the other hand, statistics published later showed that after the release of this series, the number of suicide attempts increased. Suicide became romanticized, hence, more desirable and common.
Thus, cinema has a powerful influence on the behavior of individuals, as well as entire groups or even society. The essay shows three main ways in which motion pictures change social and psychological attitudes. Of course, cinema is primarily art, making our world a better place and making us think about important issues. It all depends on the director’s intention and the audience that can understand it. Even an ordinary comedy can significantly help a person in difficult times, changing sadness into a smile, distracting a person from his problems. The main thing is not to fall out of real life, penetrating deeper and deeper into the characters’ actions on the screen.