THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST OR THE GOOD,THE BAD AND THE UGLY?

Axiology is a branch of philosophy that concerns the study of values, ethics, of how we determine what is right from wrong. This branch also includes aesthetics, the study of what is truly beautiful. Music and literature, arts and architecture are known to bring into existence creative products of artistic and aesthetical values which engender beauty and is meant to strike a chord of what is beautiful and everlasting in us. Keats beautifully puts it this way. A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It loveliness increases, it will never sink into nothingness. Aesthetics therefore deals with materials of value and of enduring qualities to the society. it is a social product and we derive not only entertainment and education, but values, we learn about other peoples and their cultures, the universality of human customs and the essence of appreciating other peoples world views and we are compelled through the majesty and grandeur of what we hear or see to reinforce our sense of oneness and the unbounded creative powers that is inherent in us after peals of laughter and an irrepressible sense of joy.


The modern entertainment industry has taken the mantle upon itself. It has taken upon itself a field of human studies which is highly philosophical and intellectually challenging. The realms traversed by astounding geniuses and great thinkers. People with exceptionally brilliant talents. Genuine creative powers. How has the entertainment industry fared in its obsession and desire to bring to the ordinary man through the cinema highly noted for its volatile and inescapable projection of illusion and other mediums, notably the media. The internet, satellite television and magazines and newspapers. Has the modern entertainment industry added anything worthwhile to the great literary works? There is no doubt about that. It has made life more enchanting and livelier, we are entertained more than ever. Most of the inaccessible literary works that would have languished and gathered dust at the shelves are now on the screen for the most analphabetic society to enjoy and appreciate. Great compositions and favorite songs may be enjoyed on a compact disc or the internet in the sanctum of the home. Drama, satire, comedy are served on the screen with trimmings to titillate the palette of the populace and the popcorn crowd. Artistically inclined men with a passionate ear for details and purity of the arts have seen some genuine qualities in the entertainment industry. But like all human endeavors, it is the same old story of beauty and the beast, the good and the bad, even the ugly. The industry is fraught with numerous problems and its negative influence on the minds and imaginations of the susceptible, the weak, the credulous is disconcerting. After enjoying a nice movie exploring the depth of human suffering and joy or one lambasting the follies and foibles of a society in an exaggerated manner for laughter and comic effects, one is again entertained or terrorized with a big headed vampire calling himself Dracula who sucks human blood and indulges in maddened frenzy hinging on abnormalities beyond the limit of common sense.


The modern entertainment industry cloaked in the illusory apparel not descendible by its ardent adherents of information dissemination has in a bid to entertain and educate the masses has grossly distorted the world views, predilections, perceptions and notions of the populace. It has unleashed wanton sorrows and throes on the people. The entertainment industry has lured them from their humble positions in the world to that of a world evolved from the sickly and corrupting imaginations of social misfits, opportunists, drug addicts, criminals, prostitutes, gluttons, and depraved men. It has unleashed monsters, the devil and his host of rebellious demons, murderers, homosexuals, lesbians, terrifying stereotypes and dark philosophies and ideas. It has created a craving desire in the people and they find it extremely difficult to live normal lives outside the destructive labyrinth of illusion it has created.

In our society, entertainment has taken a different dimension to satisfy the whims of opportunists and self seekers. Depraved men, corrupting adults, teenage delinquents, social misfits etc. it is a platform for people to concoct absolutely meaningless higgledy piggledy frenzy of a mob and present it to the sanctuaries of the homes. Concatenation of badly taken shots pieced together by amateurs depicting nothing but folly in its prime are presented to the public and dubbed latest movie to endorse it as something we must watch to waste and insult our sense of integrity, values, morality and culture. Teenage delinquents, ruffians, drug addicts, alcoholics would scribble meaningless words in idleness and present it the public. Obscene lyrics full of bawdy humor and sexually suggestive terms are played endlessly on the air waves to corrupt the youth and incite lawlessness, chaos and anarchy, disregard for culture and glorification of western culture. They have no knowledge of music yet we are compelled to listen to their "compositions" which are neither music nor noise. There is nothing artistic about what they sing for they sing nothing but roar out mediocrity and shallow mendacity. Immoral young women and men imitating the sex adventures of rakes, profligates, whores and corrupting adults are given idolizing epithets and unfounded praises to continue presenting the fallacy on the screen. The newspapers are tainted with nude images of porn stars and lesbians and actors with evil mien and silly smiles. They ridicule the front pages with needless images of actors and ruffians as if entertainment is about pictures of movie stars and celebrities. Attention is not given to serious works of art. Literary works, sculptures and paintings are relegated to the precinct of academia. The message of beauty inherent in such masterpieces are neglected and works of no literary merits hailed.

All these trivialities hinging on depravity and mediocrity have usurped the vital role the entertainment industry plays in the society. it has obscured and gradually obliterating the great literary and musical works of beauty and grandeur and replacing it with toxic concoctions of immature brains of amateurs. All that is beautiful has disappeared and no emphasis is laid on the aesthetic values of art. Rather, base materials that lack of poise and restraint is sharply presented to the public. We live in a society where all the social vices have being trimmed and miscalled entertainment delights and presented to the public to corrupt it.
Unless stringent and austere measures are taken to salvage the image of the entertainment industry, it will continue to be the breeding ground for the propagation and dissemination of false ideas, distortion of facts and misrepresentation of things of material value. Those who are in the field should strive to present quality works of art that would be of a use to the public and possesses enduring qualities, but not badly orchestrated work done to satisfy their lust for money.


The works that are presented to the public for entertainment should be thoroughly scrutinized and analyzed to bring out all the trivialities and materials that have the potential to corrupt public morals. People should be taught the real essence of art and the values inherent in it. More emphasis should be laid on the educational aspect of the industry.