A Cinema Essay on it's Disadvantages

Disadvantages of Cinema

 

Introduction

            It has been said that technology becomes the primary factor of shaping the world and people’s consciousness. Since, our society now is on the period of post-modernity, everything seems so rapid and borderlines were already unimaginable. What I mean is that, because of the rapidity on the development of technology, everything is reachable and accessible in any point of the world, even to the remotest place a man can be. Technological advancement brought by the wonders of man’s rationality, even how small the mind is, and its capacity to create grandiose invention and innovation cannot be denied. The unending struggle of anyone to provide a better place and better world is the byproduct of man’s ingenuity.

            By and large, technology indeed occupies the best position of influencing and shaping the structure and system of the present civilization, bringing it to the place wherein no one is in private and inaccessible. Everything revolves around the world of technology, it even dictates what we should think of, and what behavior are we to act. Nonetheless, we owe significantly to the advantages of technology which makes one’s life easier.

Cinema: Ancient yet powerful

            Our idea of cinema springs from different theoretical and conceptual constructs. However, we can further understand these constructs when we personally experience what we call cinema. In the age of industrial revolution when the idea of cinema came into existence, but, long before the scientific discoveries and technological development, cinema is already in existence. Furthermore, Greeks and Romans popularized the idea of theater in which it gradually involved to what we know now as cinema, though, theatre still exists. There are at least two concepts closely related to our idea of cinema-- cinema as a medium and as a technological structure.

            Although, we understand cinema as ancient and old, yet, performs a powerful role in the society.

            The cinema as a medium plays a vital role in the social and political life of the society. This medium purposely helps discharge ideologies, political beliefs, and cultural beliefs in which strengthens the life of a society. On the other hand, can be an agent for radical and revolutionary programs pursued by few political maneuvers and social-oriented groups. The rolling of films can be seen vividly through the use of cinema. Moreover, cinema as a medium does contained an implicit and subtle ideological and social use and purpose yet what is quite clear is the economical side of it.

            The cinema as a technological structure purposively aims to generate economical abundance and profits. Audiences who are more inclined to hang out in movie cinemas or theaters contribute to the profits and income of the owners. Taking in from Marxist doctrine, capitalists acquire more profit with the structure and at the same time the production of films contribute much income to its producers and executives.

 

 

Disadvantages

            There are at least several major disadvantages which I think are beyond our usual and superficial views about its advantages.

            However, in defining the idea of a cinema, we are only to limit our thoughts on widescreen cinemas found within large market places, like shopping malls and other market structures that allow people to access into what we call cinematic experience. We both use cinema here as a medium and as a structure to identify the overriding and implicit disadvantages. This should be seen on a larger scale than on a particular and individualistic approach. Meaning, using major factors of the society that honed and shape people’s way of life, we can be able to see its advantages. Using the factors such as political, socio-cultural, and economic dimensions which affect the formation of a society as a whole, we can cultivate fertile grounds for discussing the disadvantages of cinema to the society at large and to individuals in particular.

First, the establishment of cinemas has an economic value and exchange. The primary and obvious reason why there are cinemas being established are to offer individuals, groups, and family members a place for entertainment and leisure. Yet, in exchange for the availability and accessibility for entertainment and leisure is its economic value. Each one who is interested to watch a movie in wider screen and experience better sound effects, larger magnified objects and comfortable seat should have to pay for its cost. Meaning, in each desire of having a cinematic experience has a corresponding economic value irregardless of how high the stake is.

Since, only few individuals in the society can able to establish the structure, the more movie goers go to cinemas, the higher profit is gained by the owners. Moreover, owners’ power to permit films to be premiered manifests their advancement interests on economic profit rather than of their social responsibility. The more cinemas are sophistically structured and constructed, the higher is its cost value for cinema goers.

            Second, cinema as a medium can be use to promote hegemony. To further understand the term, it means an ideology of the dominant class which contrives to maintain the political power by manipulating the structures of the society. There are major institutions in which possesses an inherent and sinister power for the promotion of hegemony, these are the church, academe, government, and media. In this case, films or cinemas as a medium bring subtle and implicit ideologies, values, and norms which are in accord to the hegemon. These hegemonic elements are favorable to the few elect that has the capacity to control and manipulate the ideological formation of the social structures and systems. This only means that since films to be shown in cinemas should have to undergo several type evaluation and selection process, in most capitalist society, films that bolster higher profits are permitted while films that are low in budget but offers substantial and relevant issues reflecting the socio-political condition of a society are deemed to be ignored. Moreover, those films which carry messages and ideologies favorable to the few are pushed and promoted while films that are dangerous and sinister to the status quo are prohibited.

            Third, while we are having a cinematic experience yet we have to make an exchange for its value, we are also socially and culturally shape by the cinema. The socio-cultural implications may vary according to the attitudinal perceptive modes of the viewers or readers of the texts and images. It can have significant effects in viewer’s social and cultural make up, it may be consciously or unconsciously manner. One of the elements in which we gain our social and cultural norms, types of behavior, lifestyles, and way of thinking is from our exposure to media outlets. One of which outlets we are utilizing is cinema.

            Although we have our own sets of television at home wherein we can use to gain access to information and entertainment, cinema has a different effect. It can be our means of dating and have an opportunity to take advantage of our partners, sitting side by side holding hands or kissing while watching. It could be a place of partners to express their romantic desires. Moreover, in some cases cinemas are seen to be a place where sexual activities are made. 

            To synthesize the whole thing, cinema is an offshoot of technology, a medium which evolved from the time of the Greeks and Romans. In the modern era, cinema has keeps its role as a stage of struggle and entertainment. As a stage of struggle, it contributes to the socio-cultural and political formation of a society. This can be positive and negative. It may have a sinister effect or simply make viewers entertained. Then again, we cannot deny the fact that although it has a plenty of advantages it also have several disadvantages drawing our reference to major factors or structures of society.