Why is it so hard for people to be happy? I think our obsession with entertainment has something to do with it. Because of our movie-oriented culture, fantasy has become the norm. If reality isn’t as exciting as the fantasy we regularly watch, it’s easy to become bored. (The fact that the average American attention span seems to be decreasing exponentially doesn’t help this trend. If you want to keep someone’s attention, you’ve got to grab it pretty quick and hold on for dear life.) It’s getting harder and harder to appreciate simple things in life. Everyday experiences seem cheap in contrast to the flamboyant display of Hollywood. An average person’s life can become very “blah” if they put too much stock in all the drama that directors dish up.
One day last semester they were giving out free snow cones at Brigham Square. I was watching and it was hilarious. Not the snow cones themselves but the people standing in line. Not one of them had a smile on their face. Wait, they’re getting snow cones! I’m confused. Snow cones are amazing! Standing in line must be a real damper if it’ll stop you from feeling good about something like that. Whatever happened to enjoying the ride? Oh I know. No one’s ever made a movie about standing in line so it must not be exciting. If people are standing in line in a movie, something exciting is sure to be going on next to them or the sparkling and witty conversation keeps you wondering what will happen next and you want to know the end of the characters’ story.
But what about our own stories? Aren’t you wondering what will happen to you next? Or the person next to you? They have a story too. They were born at one point and raised by someone in some situation and have had a unique turn of events happen culminating in them standing next to you at this particular moment! Fascinating, if you think about it. This is true of everyone, and everything around you, not just people. Those trees were once seeds that came from somewhere, maybe another country. The ant crawling on the sidewalk has a home in an ant colony somewhere. Where has it been today and where will it go?
I’m not putting in very many details but everyone and everything has somewhere they’ve been at every moment of every day. We make movies imitating these life events and call it entertainment. But the problem with that is people get sucked into it. Now, a lot of people would rather watch life experiences instead of experiencing them themselves. We watch what is ideal instead of making the ideal happen to us. If someone made a realistic movie about our culture today it would basically be a movie about someone watching a movie. Or eating. We do a lot of that too. Our stories are getting more droll and colorless because many aren’t writing their own anymore. It’s easy now to live off fantasy, watching and wishing you had them without making any effort to change that. Sure, most people go to work and socialize, but when you want to do something “fun”, the first thing that pops into your head a lot of the times is watching a movie. That’s like saying, “You wanna do something fun? Let’s watch other people have it.”
This is a problem. Movies have slightly brainwashed us to certain ideas. I don’t know which director decided that you have to be in a romantic relationship to be happy, because that idea is making a lot of people feel lonely. Or which one came up with the idea that you have to be physically attractive to have an exciting life. I find myself falling into the trap sometimes. When I’m watching a movie, I know that most likely the best looking boy and the girl who always has perfect hair and makeup are going to be the ones that get all the attention and excitement. Well, I guess I’m doomed to have a dull life.
We’ve grown to, in a way, rely on scriptwriters to tell them what to be amazed about and we refuse to be amazed, amused or astonished at anything that’s not in the movies or on TV. Everyone would be amazed if they got abducted by aliens, were approached by an extremely attractive member of the opposite gender accompanied by a full orchestra, or experienced a quick rise to fame and glory. No one is amazed at a flushing toilet. Yet a flushing toilet is amazing! Would you rather go back to latrines? I’m sure everyone’s seen a movie where someone from the past visits our modern time and is absolutely astounded by a toilet or other “ordinary” object. Why can’t we share this astonishment? The point is people don’t rely on their own judgment anymore to be amazed or even happy most of the time. Even the people writing the amazing scripts and storylines aren’t amazed because they are writing what they think we will think is amazing and what will make the most money in the end. They are not being amazed themselves. Wouldn’t it be so much better if we actually went out and did things ourselves? That way, in conversation we could ask, “Remember that time when…” instead of: “Remember that movie where this happened?” I’d much rather laugh at real situations I’ve been in than virtual ones in a movie.
It is nice sometimes to escape from reality and appreciate the supernatural and the creative genius of directors, actors, and other people in the entertainment industry. We just need to be careful that the imagination of others doesn’t replace our own. Don’t just have a favorite movie. Why not discover a favorite flower or weather or cookie recipe? Life can be more exciting than a movie as long as you don’t let “what happens next” only happen to someone else. The important thing is to not give up hope and be willing to put forth some effort. Exciting things actually do happen in real life! You’ve got to believe that, even if it seems you’re missing all the action. I’m sure even the movie stars were just faces in the background at one point too. But you always star in your own story and it’s up to you how exciting it will be. If you’re willing to take the risk of being more easily amused, you will be amazed.
One day last semester they were giving out free snow cones at Brigham Square. I was watching and it was hilarious. Not the snow cones themselves but the people standing in line. Not one of them had a smile on their face. Wait, they’re getting snow cones! I’m confused. Snow cones are amazing! Standing in line must be a real damper if it’ll stop you from feeling good about something like that. Whatever happened to enjoying the ride? Oh I know. No one’s ever made a movie about standing in line so it must not be exciting. If people are standing in line in a movie, something exciting is sure to be going on next to them or the sparkling and witty conversation keeps you wondering what will happen next and you want to know the end of the characters’ story.
But what about our own stories? Aren’t you wondering what will happen to you next? Or the person next to you? They have a story too. They were born at one point and raised by someone in some situation and have had a unique turn of events happen culminating in them standing next to you at this particular moment! Fascinating, if you think about it. This is true of everyone, and everything around you, not just people. Those trees were once seeds that came from somewhere, maybe another country. The ant crawling on the sidewalk has a home in an ant colony somewhere. Where has it been today and where will it go?
I’m not putting in very many details but everyone and everything has somewhere they’ve been at every moment of every day. We make movies imitating these life events and call it entertainment. But the problem with that is people get sucked into it. Now, a lot of people would rather watch life experiences instead of experiencing them themselves. We watch what is ideal instead of making the ideal happen to us. If someone made a realistic movie about our culture today it would basically be a movie about someone watching a movie. Or eating. We do a lot of that too. Our stories are getting more droll and colorless because many aren’t writing their own anymore. It’s easy now to live off fantasy, watching and wishing you had them without making any effort to change that. Sure, most people go to work and socialize, but when you want to do something “fun”, the first thing that pops into your head a lot of the times is watching a movie. That’s like saying, “You wanna do something fun? Let’s watch other people have it.”
This is a problem. Movies have slightly brainwashed us to certain ideas. I don’t know which director decided that you have to be in a romantic relationship to be happy, because that idea is making a lot of people feel lonely. Or which one came up with the idea that you have to be physically attractive to have an exciting life. I find myself falling into the trap sometimes. When I’m watching a movie, I know that most likely the best looking boy and the girl who always has perfect hair and makeup are going to be the ones that get all the attention and excitement. Well, I guess I’m doomed to have a dull life.
We’ve grown to, in a way, rely on scriptwriters to tell them what to be amazed about and we refuse to be amazed, amused or astonished at anything that’s not in the movies or on TV. Everyone would be amazed if they got abducted by aliens, were approached by an extremely attractive member of the opposite gender accompanied by a full orchestra, or experienced a quick rise to fame and glory. No one is amazed at a flushing toilet. Yet a flushing toilet is amazing! Would you rather go back to latrines? I’m sure everyone’s seen a movie where someone from the past visits our modern time and is absolutely astounded by a toilet or other “ordinary” object. Why can’t we share this astonishment? The point is people don’t rely on their own judgment anymore to be amazed or even happy most of the time. Even the people writing the amazing scripts and storylines aren’t amazed because they are writing what they think we will think is amazing and what will make the most money in the end. They are not being amazed themselves. Wouldn’t it be so much better if we actually went out and did things ourselves? That way, in conversation we could ask, “Remember that time when…” instead of: “Remember that movie where this happened?” I’d much rather laugh at real situations I’ve been in than virtual ones in a movie.
It is nice sometimes to escape from reality and appreciate the supernatural and the creative genius of directors, actors, and other people in the entertainment industry. We just need to be careful that the imagination of others doesn’t replace our own. Don’t just have a favorite movie. Why not discover a favorite flower or weather or cookie recipe? Life can be more exciting than a movie as long as you don’t let “what happens next” only happen to someone else. The important thing is to not give up hope and be willing to put forth some effort. Exciting things actually do happen in real life! You’ve got to believe that, even if it seems you’re missing all the action. I’m sure even the movie stars were just faces in the background at one point too. But you always star in your own story and it’s up to you how exciting it will be. If you’re willing to take the risk of being more easily amused, you will be amazed.
