Movies, television shows and web series have practically always been around for our generation to enjoy. And we’ve only developed our craft in cinematography; the genres have expanded, the sound quality has been refined, visuals have improved, our actors are becoming more and more diverse each day, and there’s almost always at least 10 new series of movies on Netflix each month.
Our society breathes movies and television like our lives depend on it. Our culture is practically now only portrayed through cinema. We’re stuck under this wild impression that everything in our lives will play out with either a dreamy and melodic soundtrack or with some high-intensity chorus flourishing over our every move.
Any chance at romance that wanders into our lives is fantasized about like it’ll end with us riding off into the sunset, a grin plastered so big across our faces the Cheshire Cat couldn’t compete.
We spend our time daydreaming about exciting scenarios where we “save the world” or “find our soulmate.”
It really is fun to daydream, to take a break from our slow reality and venture off into the compelling world of film, yet, how does this affect our views on life?
We as students are young and impressionable; we seek out someone or something to idolize. We watch television and fill our heads with these perfectly tailored scenes, the sunsets, the ballads, and though it may be fun, romanticizing can be a dangerous game to play.
We see it all the time: romanticizing of mental illness, perfect family life, perfect relationships, perfect bodies and a dramatized fate. Cinema cuts out all of the small talk conversations, the awkward silences, and the slow-moving relationships.
We’re left with a concentrate of action and thrill.
So how media-obsessed are we? Often, it can go unnoticed; we don’t even realize how cinema affects our thoughts. We see life through a technicolour filter. We’re force-fed unrealistic body standards, relationship goals and lifestyles. Pushing these ideals on ourselves or expecting them in our everyday lives is unhealthy: life is not a movie.
In the big picture, we cannot base our lives off of movies. We can’t cut the boring, slow bits out, or hold ourselves to those “perfect” protagonists written only to be admired and not related to.
We’re given superhuman expectations. Of course, film is entertaining, but it should stay just that.
Macy How is a grade 11 student at Brooks Secondary School.
