Entertainment Bollywood
When a man listens to music while returning home from work, it’s a form of entertainment. When a group of college students has a movie night, that’s also entertainment. If a child watches a cartoon, it’s considered entertainment. And when an elderly man attends a World Cup viewing event, it is considered a form of entertainment too.
Though people may refer to these activities by different names—such as hobbies or escapes from reality—they all fall under the umbrella of entertainment. On a side note, one activity we often engage in, whether alone or with others, that is rarely considered entertainment, is cooking. Cooking is an essential chore, but we humans highlighted its creative and entertaining side with shows like Masterchef India, Masterchef USA, and Top Chef, making it a very preferred source of entertainment for many. So it’s obvious how this entertainment is among us …. and to a point, it shapes us too…
The smallest storytelling session with a group of friends as a form of entertainment was the oldest form of entertainment in ancient times. In Prehistoric Origins (Before Civilization), Hunter-gatherer tribes likely entertained each other with stories, myths, and legends passed orally. Then, in Ancient civilizations (3000 BCE onward), Egypt’s Pharaohs hosted banquets, music, acrobatics, and dance performances for elites. Greece, the Birthplace of Western theatre: tragedies and comedies performed in open-air amphitheaters. India Natya Shastra Traditional dances (like Bharatanatyam) are rooted in temple rituals but also designed to captivate. These activities around the world laid the foundation for entertainment as a communal and cultural force.
Most people spend around 5 to 6 hours a day just on entertainment. Ancient societies didn’t track time like we do, and entertainment wasn’t a constant, individualized stream like today. It was collective, event-based, and less frequent, not a constant personal feed. Roman crowds flocked to the Colosseum or Circus Maximus, but these spectacles, averaging 1–2 hours daily for urban citizens, were tied to specific events, not daily routines. In contrast, modern entertainment is everywhere, pushed by technology and individualism. Platforms like Netflix or TikTok deliver tailored content 24/7, with algorithms analyzing preferences to keep users hooked.
This not only replaced communal cheers with individual screen time entertainment, but this Hyper-personalization, while offering unusual choices, comes with steep consequences. Psychologically, it stimulates addiction, as algorithms exploit emotional triggers with autoplay videos and push notifications, keeping users glued to screens for 4–6 hours daily, far beyond the 0.5–2 hours of ancient festivals. A 2023 study found 25% of young adults reported anxiety or depression linked to excessive media consumption. Hyper-personalization increases some ethical problems because it mixes entertainment with possible risks that could lead to harm.
Algorithms focus on keeping people engaged, which often leads to the spread of shocking content, such as viral pranks, doxxing, or AI-generated deepfakes. It looks fun, but it can actually cause real harm. AI plays a big role in the increase in screen time.It alters entertainment in specific ways, but there are some downsides that come with it. By analyzing vast datasets, our watch history, likes, and even biometric feedback—AI makes hyper-personalized content, from Netflix plot twists to TikTok videos tailored to your mood. This deepens addiction, as users are fed a relentless stream of content designed to keep them scrolling. Ancient poets, whose tales were unique to their tribes, as a symbol of diversity in their cultures… AI often lacks originality, recycling popular patterns to maximize clicks.
Oscar Wilde’s quote, “Many lack the originality to lack originality,” is particularly relevant in today’s entertainment landscape. Even before AI began to contribute to this trend, we were already seeing a lack of diversity in creative works. Now, it often feels like every film is just another Marvel sequel, and every song sounds like a TikTok clone. There is no doubt that digital entertainment mediums allow us to connect with and learn about various cultures and their art from home. However, when these platforms become dominated by a single cultural perspective, it leads to homogeneity and diminishes the uniqueness of art and entertainment.
AI is causing a shift toward more uniformity. Initially, we developed AI for simple entertainment purposes, such as chatbots. However, it has now evolved to the point where it can create stories, art, and movie plots. While this showcases the efficiency of AI, it’s important to note that these outputs are generated using existing materials and resources. AI analyzes existing patterns and creates new ones. While we may think these are completely new ideas, they are actually variations of things we have already made. This leads to repetitive content instead of true creativity, resulting in the same recycled ideas being used over and over again.
Ancient entertainment, such as India’s Natya Shastra dances and Egyptian festival music, was rooted in local traditions. In contrast, AI design is trained on existing content, which amplifies biases and trends, creating echo chambers that limit cultural diversity. Moreover, AI’s ability to generate deepfakes or manipulative “shock” content—like a 2024 viral video falsely depicting a celebrity meltdown—further blurs the line between entertainment and harm, exploiting emotions for profit.
Entertainment has changed over time. It started with storytelling in ancient tribes and vibrant performances from Natya Shastra. Today, it mainly comes from algorithm-driven platforms like Netflix and TikTok, which we use for 4 to 6 hours each day. These platforms give us great access to cultures around the world, but they often repeat trends. This can hold back the real creativity that goes into expressing what it means to be human.
As AI amplifies this homogeneity, blurring the line between engagement and harm, we must question what we lose in this hyper-personalized era. As Don Tapscott’s words remind us, adapted for our time: “In the age of information, ignorance is a choice, but in the age of algorithms, originality is a challenge.” Let us work to maintain the unique human spark that makes entertainment not only a pastime but also a reflection of our diverse souls.
By: ANJALI KUMARI
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