Movie influence

[morganvicky98]

I've been thinking a lot lately about the influence of movies in our lives, and especially our children. We watch fictitious representations of reality and expect not to be subliminally influenced. We see how love is a matter of seeing a beautiful women and don't see the investment it takes to make a marriage work. We see violent, deadly CIA agents as heroes, and hear how these people talk and think. Doesn't all this effect the way we perceive the world? And are these influences positive?

What do think? Are movies positively influencing our children? Or negatively? Both? Can we regulate which movies our kids see to limit them to ones that will make our children better or more conscientious citizens? Any ideas?

[Mrs Mungo]

I do NOT think you get an idea of how CIA agents talk or think by watching a movie about them. Kids have to learn that movies=fantasy, ALL of the time. Military personnel don't like most military movies. CSI people don't like those CSI shows.

[PeacefulChaos]

I agree with Mrs.Mungo.  The things that are depicted on TV and movies are in no way realistic - they are a dramatization.  If we were to see the real life stuff?  We'd all be bored a fair amount of the time.  Not even kidding.  ;) 

However, I don't see a problem with screening movies and such for kids.  Or waiting til they are an age or, more importantly, a maturity level, that can handle specific movies.  I have movies that I love, that are some of my favorites, that my kids haven't seen yet. 

I also don't look real deep into movies affecting us as people, tbh.  Idk... I just don't know that they really do.  But I do consider what is in them before I let my kids watch them, just for the sake of appropriate-ness.  Does that make sense?

[PhotoGal]

I think we do get a warped view of what the "average" person looks like and lives like. I don't think it is healthy to compare ourselves to the most beautiful people on earth or how fictional people live (big beautiful houses or nice apartments in expensive cities for 20-something-year olds). I don't think we are always consciously doing it, but it does sometimes become the standard in our minds.

[Chris in VA]

I think many people limit themselves to Hollywood movies.

Watch some world cinema and you will see many different worldviews! Not all films are about external, shallow love/beauty/life. There are some exquisite stories out there, and learning to appreciate that film is a language is eye-opening and, frankly, pretty darn cool. 

 

We are currently enjoying the history of movies series called, "The Story of Film." It's on Netflix and is amazing.

[GailV]

I think we do get a warped view of what the "average" person looks like and lives like. I don't think it is healthy to compare ourselves to the most beautiful people on earth or how fictional people live (big beautiful houses or nice apartments in expensive cities for 20-something-year olds). I don't think we are always consciously doing it, but it does sometimes become the standard in our minds.

 

After reading the thread on French movies a few weeks ago, we watched some of the movies mentioned.  The people in them look very ordinary, they live in ordinary places, they wear the same clothing day after day.  We had a fun discussion about how these things would've looked if it had been a typical Hollywood movie.  Among other things, I discovered that my kids are quite aware of Hollywood actors bleaching their teeth, lol.