Media and technologies are reprogramming the human brain, changing how we think and live in significant ways. Nobody really knows how this will affect the future, and few seems to care. The tendency is to let it happen and go with the flow, despite warnings from some that all is not well. Nobody can stop progress. Still, it’s fun to reflect on changes to see what might be lost.
Looking back to classic movies and comparing them with what we have today, we see many similarities. However, there are major differences. In particular, classic movies succeeded with few if any special effects. The camera focused more on faces and expressions, like in the movie Casablanca. Violent actions were seldom shown in gruesome detail but were inferred from the situation. Storylines focus on character and personal dilemmas. Much was left to the imagination. And of course, sex was hinted at, but never shown, except in seedy theaters.
Some of the best movies took place in a single location, such as on a lifeboat or in a jury room. Would such movies draw an audience today? Those movies depended on writers who could build drama into the interactions between characters who had character. This required an interest in human psychology. It also required audiences to have a similar interest, who could empathize and be moved. Do those audiences exist today?
Flash forward to the present. So many movies are filled with fast-moving special effects, explicit violence, and lots of sex. We have become voyeurs, addicted to getting thrills through the experiences of others. Subtle emotions? Psychological dilemmas? Or just plain escape! Of course, there have always been escape movies - Bollywood movies with stars dancing in the streets. It’s just the balance which has shifted.
Classical music and jazz played for more than a few minutes. People concentrated and took time to enjoy and savor it. But now, immersed in media, there is no time. Experiences are quick and shallow, measured by the number of likes. We flee into the noise, perhaps to escape from ourselves.
What do you think? Or has it always been this way?
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