A Study on the Role of the Media and Its Effect on the Identity of Muslims (Part 13)
The Role of Media in Entertainment and Leisure Time
The human mind becomes tired and overwhelmed from constant encounters with work, jobs, and business. In order to renew and refine inner strength and prepare for a new beginning, there is an urgent need for free time and its optimal use.
These days, media holders have recognized this gap and are trying to fill it by planning and performing various entertaining and uplifting programs.
In the following, we will discuss this issue in a more specific and research-oriented manner.
Accepting definitions such as “media empire,” “information explosion,” “global village,” “communication era,” “information sphere,” or considering them exaggerated and unrealizable does not change the reality of what has occurred. Today’s generation, from newborns to isolated elderly individuals, exists under the significant influence of mass media, adapting their ideas, learning, and customs to this comprehensive media environment.
An important issue that arises daily, occupying the minds of many families, knowledgeable educators, and caring teachers, is the leisure time of children, teenagers, and young people. As the rate of industrialization and urbanization increases, along with the complexity of relationships and responsibilities, the issue of free time and how to spend it has garnered increasing public attention. This significance underscores the necessity of transitioning to relaxing leisure time under appropriate conditions to help alleviate the fatigue of work and machine life.
In addition to the critical functions of news dissemination, education, guidance, and leadership, which play essential roles in preparing individuals for social life, communication tools also fulfill entertainment tasks. Through performing these roles, communication devices have a notable psychological effect on people, enabling enjoyment and passing the time through recreational activities.
To address recreational and human needs, contemporary communication means have taken on various roles. Due to the combined pressures of daily work and the challenging conditions of modern life, people require rest more than ever. Without suitable programs to occupy their free time and alleviate fatigue and anxiety, individuals risk burnout much earlier than usual. This emphasis on providing more free time and optimizing its use has led society towards a leisure-oriented civilization, where people seek enjoyment by reducing working hours and embracing entertainment options.
Currently, newspapers, magazines, radios, televisions, and cinemas are among the most effective means of entertainment, providing diverse content and programs. The news, narratives, and stories from the press, coupled with artistic programs on the radio and various films on television and in cinemas, now entertain people at all hours, diverting them from the stresses of work and daily life. These mediums also alleviate feelings of loneliness by fostering a comforting leisure environment.
Beyond their recreational functions, some psychologists and sociologists emphasize the therapeutic role of communication devices. This body of research suggests that the press, radio, television, and cinema can assist individuals with suppressed complexes and violent tendencies. People experiencing difficult life circumstances might commit violent acts to compensate for their failures. When they read about such behaviors in newspapers, listen on the radio, or watch them in films, they may find a degree of satisfaction in these portrayals, alleviating some of their fears and anxieties. However, it is essential to note that communication tools do not always have a positive influence; depending on the economic and social conditions of a society and the level of its awareness and culture, they might generate undesirable social effects, particularly among teenagers in various societies.
This theory, however, may lack nuance and accuracy. Across the globe, many games and movies have popularized violence, transporting audiences from reality into a world of fantasy.
By admin2
