Entertainment Value?

A few years ago, I was blissfully unaware. That was before I got really involved with the internet, you see. I didn't go online on any kind of basis until I was sixteen, and it wasn't until years later that I realized the horror of what exactly the American public defines as entertainment. Or news.

I, personally, find it very annoying that the Kardashian family has hijacked the letter K for their own nefarious purposes. I couldn't match the name George Clooney with a face until just recently, I still am not certain what Channing Tatum looks like, and I identify most actors and actresses by the characters they play in movies or television shows.

Go ahead, mock me if you wish. I also don't watch sports, and am the person who would cheer for the team wearing the color closest to purple, because we all know how important colors are, and purple is pretty. Who needs a better reason?

Most of America, I guess, because some people read that and are currently resisting the urge to "educate" me. I assure you, if you try, you will be the proud recipient of a glassy stare and a possible lecture on how the only sport I care about has "martial art" somewhere in the definition.

Entertainment in America has been elevated to a position far above it's actual value. Entertainers, the successful ones, make more money than those who offer more valuable services. Which, frankly, I think is stupid.

Now, before you go all rabid on me, I know that the people who make lots of money work hard for it. 'Kay? Someone who plays sports for a living has to be good at it, and they have to train far more than the average person. Someone who's a professional singer had to work hard to get that far. I'm not lessening the amount of work that goes into it, because I know it's not easy.

I do think, however, that the state of the entertainment industry points to an imbalance of our priorities.

Rather than playing sports ourselves, which is a fun, healthy pastime, we spend millions of dollars a year to watch other people play them, and get worked up when our favorite teams lose. Rather than use our imaginations to put images with stories, we watch them portrayed on a screen in an adaptation that took millions of dollars to make, and develop ridiculous fangirl/fanboy crushes on the actors/actresses.

Once upon a time, we had to entertain ourselves with imagination and ingenuity. Now we pay people to do it for us.

Oh, and we get obsessed with the people who do it, too. The rules of what is and is not creepy are suddenly warped if you're stalking a famous person. And you judge their "famous-ness" based on how many stalkers they have. Does no one else think this is a little crazy?

Don't get me wrong, entertainment is a great thing. And the people who can entertain us are very talented people who deserve to be paid for their efforts.

But don't you think these people are being turned into something they're not? Our constant attention is turning them into role models for our kids. And, just looking at what most of these stars are doing in their personal lives, do you really want your children to emulate them? Should you really be giving them that kind of power? They have their faces pasted on billboards. Wouldn't you rather your children have role models that aren't famous for their sexual exploits or risque fashion?

Sure, there are a good number (I'll even say a lot) of famous people who are famous for other things. But they aren't as famous, are they? Because they don't set gossip columns on fire with their behavior as often.

We give these people the power of influence and the power of money.

Before you buy that next ticket, or that movie, or that song, perhaps you should ask yourself if there isn't something more important you'd rather spend that money on. Before you buy that star's merchandise, perhaps you should wonder if you're giving more power and money to someone who will use that power and money for something you disapprove of.

You should also ask yourself if you're fueling the giant monster that is the entertainment industry. The monster that distracts adults and children alike, and takes their attention away from things that are more beneficial. And you should wonder if you or someone you care about is obsessing over one of these stars in a way that might get them thrown in jail if it was their next door neighbor.

What if we put that much effort into real life?

What if, instead of playing that game for hours at a time, you took your kids outside and taught them to play a real game? What if, instead of watching that cooking show and daydreaming about all the high-priced food you can't afford, you bought healthy ingredients and actually made something? What if, instead of obsessing over that movie star, you gave all that attention to your significant other? What if, instead of spending hours yelling and screaming at the TV while watching sports, you spent more time actually out there doing it yourself?

Stop swooning over good-looking stars. You probably won't ever meet them, let alone date or marry one.

Stop freaking out because two members of the Kardashian family wore the same outfit. Who cares? I share clothes with my sister all the time, and we don't have to worry about some familial explosion. Stop obsessing over the issues of famous couples and their kids. It's none of your business. If they've got problems, shut up and let them deal with it. If they want your advice, I'm sure they'll ask.

Some people make a living out of provoking people. Some people make a living simply by having a life full of drama, and a willingness to drag others into it. Are you going to reward that? Most people try to avoid those kinds of personalities in real life. But then we buy popcorn and watch families dissolve as if it's the most interesting thing in the world. If your family was falling apart, would you want the world to stand witness?

If you were playing a game, would you want the country to judge every move you make? It's a game, people. It's supposed to be fun for the people playing. It's supposed to be competitive, yes. But if it's not fun, what's the point? If you're getting so worked up about it you'd start a riot, then you're doing it wrong.

Same thing for video games. If you're throwing the console across the room, you're putting too much importance on it. If you want to put the controller through the window, you're not having much fun, are you? Again, it's a game. It's not going to kill you if you lose.

Entertainment is not as all-encompassing as we've made it out to be. We don't need to be entertained, we're all perfectly capable of entertaining ourselves. Provided our imagination hasn't all been sucked dry by the gossip and drama of what passes for television. Our heads get so full of it that there's no room in there for our own thoughts. For our own stories. Drama, dysfunctional families, promiscuity, and bad language replace creative stories, and people grow to believe that these things are what makes a good tale.

It's enough to make a writer weep.

Take all these games, movies, television shows, and electronics away, and you'll find that people get so bored they learn to entertain themselves again. Their creativity will come back, because they won't be able to solve their boredom simply by buying the newest gadget on the market. Ever wonder how most little kids can be perfectly content for hours just playing in gravel or mud? Or with the wrapping paper of their presents, while the presents themselves sit to the side? Their creativity is intact. They haven't been taught that they're supposed to be more amused by a screen.

Of course, it's difficult to just take away some kid's electronics.

...although you could always try throwing a ball at their face, and enjoy a spirited game of who-can-bloody-the-other-person's-nose-first. That should at least get them off the couch.