Youth Quest

Movies - Apparent mind relief or weapons of mass destruction? Rewind time back to Prison Break, 24, heroes, Spartacus, One Tree Hill, Vampire Dairies… and any other, that headed buzz on Street corners, school Computer labs, or laptops where ever, one had to download it or have it copied to for watching later. Many are the night hours spent trying to figure out what happens next, or stressing out on what is happening in whichever series one was watching. Not that actually one needs to rewind considering that many are still being released and born by the month thanks to the ready and unquenchable demand on the market. Well, watching was in good faith and only to kick off school and or work stress. At least that’s what I thought the movies were made for until a few weeks ago when I found a comment on one of yahoo Movie review blog page: “There are many ways to gauge a movie’s influence on the world. Maybe it’s box office, maybe it’s Academy Awards, but sometimes it can be how it inspires people to change their lives and emulate what they see up there on the screen. So perhaps writer-director Ben Affleck should be honoured that his 2010 crime thriller “The Town” provoked a group of New York City residents to follow their dreams. Unfortunately, that dream was to rob a bunch of places using techniques they learned from the movie. “ Curious to know the impact of movies, I did a few interviews: are movies a mind relief or weapons of mass destruction? “I’d say weapons of Mass destruction… in television and movies, scenes involving murder and or pornography easily broadcasted in certain drama say when a famous actor was killed by someone in one drama program and then in another he is killed again, like in Vampire scenes; in other words, murder in a row in fiction is taken for granted and can cause people to justify violence or murder psychologically.” “When you are watching a movie you are thinking, so how can that be a relief when you are still using your brains,” journalist (she didn’t give me time to ask more questions) “Since the start of television or movie, people have changed their ways of living. Before television, people had their own ways of thinking simply based on their culture and inherited wisdom, they learnt from their experience and the experience of others. But things are different now, people are thinking globally. They can view, listen and adapt opinion of those living thousands of miles away. Thus Televisions the biggest medium in that regard.” People imitate the character they like for example; they’ll try to think in positive ways as their favourite characters do. Big example is: children try to copy Superman and Batman, and all those heroic comics they watch which help them develop positively, and the best is achieved with Comedy; they are a mind relief considering that laughing is medicine to a stressed mind… makes you forget stress for a short time. Another reason I advocate watching television and films is reality shows aired on DSTV or Star Media or any other for that matter. These give opportunities to young people with talents but also inspire people to take lessons along with their normal jobs. For example people with singing talent but unable to continue due to their marriage or other responsibilities now have a great window to display their talent, Tusker project fame I think is a live example,” Social worker and administrator: Joshua Byaruhanga. Well seemed like the Mind relief side was taking the lead, well am not yet done… I will keep interviewing and you can let me know what your side is….drop me a mail: martin@ovi.com