Amidst a whirlwind of fame and fortune, many question whether the government may have their hands in the entertainment industry. Approaching this question in theory—as nothing can truly be proven—we will take a look at 2017's most popular areas of entertainment.
With gaming rapidly becoming one of the most influential forms of entertainment from young adults to those in their middle-to-late 30s, some of the most popular video games include: Call of Duty, Halo, The Legend of Zelda, Assassin's Creed, FIFA, Need for Speed, Grand Theft Auto, etc. The majority of these games encourage violence, rage, and anxiety in those who begin gaming at a young age. This is not to say that gaming represents a bad influence, but it may explain how major corporations and their investors intend to aid in controlling those with violent tendencies through an acceptable outlet. Games involving expensive vehicles and riches may affectively induce an aspiration to earn a living and maintain a stable income in order to keep up with a desirable extravagant lifestyle. However, such an assumption would insinuate an intention to advance big businesses such as those pocketing the earnings of people attempting to live a life of luxury.
Hollywood, on the other hand, would appear to provide a greater variety of governmental influence if our theory proved true. While not all people are gamers, it is reasonable to assume that the average person goes to the movie theater at least five or more times a year. This year, movies such as Wonder Woman, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Blade Runner 2049, It, Get Out, War for the Planet of the Apes, A Bad Mom's Christmas, and Girl's Trip appear to be among U.S. box offices' most anticipated turn outs.
After watching a movie, many people may feel moved as they allow the storyline to control their emotions. In many cases, movies are seen to set the standard for what may gradually become socially acceptable or creating new trends. In terms of 2017's most popular films, many seem to promote female independence and diversity. They address controversial concerns of continual racism, white supremacy, and the role of a mother from a modern-day perspective. If such emphasis is particularly placed on a woman's competency, perhaps one would think Big Brother in the process of ensuring unanimous national support of a pre-determined female president within the next decade.
Furthermore, prosperous companies such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have taken reign of the nation's most trending TV shows including Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, Orange Is the New Black, and Game of Thrones. None of these shows focus particularly on real-life issues. Thus, they may provide a temporary refuge to those wishing to ignore national concerns. While Game of Thrones takes place in a historical setting, The Walking Dead and Stranger Things deals heavily with the supernatural. There is nothing relative because the majority of these scenarios are observed as obsolete or in some cases, entirely irrelevant. If governmental involvement is at play, one might imagine that shows such as these are intended to distract the general public from unanswered questions, classified information, and fake news.
Last, mainstream music appears to hold the strongest proof of governmental manipulation as it calls attention to what song writers believe the majority of citizens can relate to. Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Beyonce, Eminem, Maroon 5, Migos, Coldplay, Kanye West, G-Eazy, Justin Bieber, Drake, and many others represent popularized music today. These musicians compose and produce songs about love, sex, cheating, domestic abuse, drinking, drug use, man-hating, female empowerment, rough childhoods, decision-making, poverty, and personal issues. In other words, this was intended for us to relate and realize that we're not alone in whatever we may face. The lyrics of many of these song writers promise knowledge and strength to overcome their issues. Should the government have their hand in the music industry, this may not be observed as necessarily a bad thing considering the message most artists are trying to convey. The fact of the matter is we may never know for certain just how much of an influence our government actually exercises and to what extent they might go to control the people. However, the greatest tool against such an abuse of authority flourishes through the ability to be self-aware of how our emotions could be controlled.
