Why People Go To The Movies: Entertainment Vs Lifestyle

I recently read The Shusher And The Shushed: Why It Matters When You Talk During Movies from National Public Radio by Linda Holmes who talks about the manners people have nowadays at the movies. It is true that people--whom I found becoming more and more ignorant these days--can't seem to follow the unwritten rules at the movies. Some of these people tend to do things which disturb others while on the other side making themselves convenient. Some would talk on their cellphone in the middle of a movie, some would chat--loudly, without even bother to lower their voice, some would even try to be funny by keep throwing jokes throughout the scenes of the movie, (really, are they even that funny?) and some would just play with their cellphone--as if the world is about to end and there will be no better time to play with your cellphone. Are they just being themselves anywhere they are--regardless the place they are at and the normative rules applied there--or are they just simply ignorant?

By doing these things, it is clear to me that they don't really want to watch a movie after all. People who really go to the movies to really watch will then get really disturbed, and disturbed people do disturbing things. It is very common to hear a lot of shushing during a movie screening. It is also very common to hear the shushed replies back in a more aggressive tone. The shusher, feeling utterly disturbed, feels that he is correcting something wrong while the shushed doesn't even realize he is doing anything wrong.

I am always amazed when I find people who chat, text a message, or even fall asleep at the movies. I can cope easily with the sleeping ones; sometimes our eyes just won't cooperate after all of our work, while on the other hand we really want to watch the movie. However, for the ones who are busy when the movie plays, my amazement brings me to a single question: what are they doing here? If you want to chat, there is a cafe just across the street. If you want to spend one and a half hour texting your friend, you might as well stay in your room. So, why are all these people gathering at the cinema? Is it possible that the spacious dark room where you have to pay some money to get in is just that comfortable?

Well, we have to admit that today, watching movie has become more of a lifestyle. These days, entertainment is not on the top of the list for people to go to the movies; getting up to date is. Movies are the 'thing'. There is an elusive, unwritten pact set out there stating that you will be so lame if you haven't watched the movie of the week, thus making you unable to join the little discussion about it during lunch or recess. With that brought up, then movies have become a mere tool to establish a connection between people. Connection to our friends can be maintain simply just by going to the movies together. What movies we watched last weekend or what we think of the movies is a perfect topic to talk about during lunch or recess. Whether there is really a will to watch a movie or not doesn't really matter anymore. What matters is to keep updated and we know that when you don't really want to do something, then you won't show your best effort. This should explain why these people can afford to do other things when they are at the cinema. They don't really want to see the movie, so can we really expect them to show their best interest for more or less 90 minutes? The answer would be 'no, we can't'.

It is quite sad actually. Things have changed. Society has changed. Movies as entertainment have changed to become more of a lifestyle. People go to the movies just to live according to the reigning lifestyle. Fortunately, there are still people who really take movies as entertainment and they will surely keep their manners at the movies. So, which side are you on? Entertainment or lifestyle?