by Courtney Abbott
And then there are those TV series – even if we have missed them, we can now binge-watch every episode in sessions that meet with our schedules of work or school. Really, this new digital age is just great, and movie-watching has become so convenient.
Are there any downsides to all of this convenience? Well, according to some researchers, yes there are. Here are just a few.
The Negative Impact of Movies
There is nothing new about the “negatives” of being a bit hooked on the screen and all of the entertainment it offers. It’s just that today, the option does not involve getting dressed, going to a theatre, and paying to see a movie you like. It’s all too convenient and we can neglect other responsibilities and even our sleep as a result. But there are other drawbacks as well:
We Can Isolate Ourselves
Just as some get lost in the digital world of the Internet, people can also get lost in the world of movies. Rather than getting out with others, we live vicariously through the plots and actors in our movies. So, our social lives can suffer.
In addition to a reduction in a healthy social life, people hooked on movie watching can become the proverbial “couch potatoes,” and all of this is physically unhealthy.
We Buy into Unrealistic Romantic Scenarios
Even films that are way outside of the rom-com genre will often end with the major players finding romance and love. For some reason, we seem to be happier when they do. So, the major characters achieve their goals, but coupling comes as the “icing on the cake.”
This continues the stereotypical belief that life is somehow more complete when we are in a relationship. In this day and age of people choosing to remain single and happy about it, this idealization of romantic partnership is unrealistic and may put pressure on members of both sexes to find their significant other.
We Get an Unrealistic Impression of Love and Romance
This may be one of the key drawbacks of movie-watching, especially romantic comedies. All of these follow a pretty similar pattern – boy meets girl, they fall in love, they break up over challenges and issues, those issues get fully resolved, and, in the end, they reunite and all’s right with the world once again. Almost the same can be said about sitcom TV series involving married people. Somehow, their issues and challenges are always resolved happily.
Movie/TV viewers who spend a lot of time watching these types of films may get an unrealistic view of love and romance. In fact, a study out of the University of Michigan seems to validate this.
The study involved 625 college students (male and female) and their responses to a number of movies and TV series that dealt with love and romance. The conclusions were as follows:
- Increased viewing of romantic movies saw an increase in the belief that love will overcome all obstacles and issues. In short, love conquers all.
- Some marriage-based reality TV shows (e.g., The Bachelor and Bachelorette) cause viewers to believe in love at first sight and that true romantic love is pretty perfect.
Unrealistic Expectations in Relationships
People who have a steady diet of films in which romance, love, and relationships are unrealistically idealized come to believe that their own relationships will have this same pattern. When, in fact, they do not, there is not just a disillusionment but a negative impact on the relationship itself. It may be difficult for such a person to enter into a realistic love relationship at all.
The Point?
Movie watching is a fun and enjoyable pastime. But as Aristotle once advised, “All things in moderation.” It’s so easy to become immersed in the convenient “world” of movies and neglect other responsibilities or develop unrealistic views of how life really goes. Just be mindful that you are watching fiction, not fact.
And don’t cherish high expectations – be ready to fall in love with someone real. Romantic movies are great, but the reality is better. Just give it a try.
