by Juno Brown

Created on: February 13, 2009   Last Updated: February 20, 2009

Human beings have a natural and healthy desire to be entertained. The power of performance and spectacle is illustrated through the annals of history, proving that however much society has changed with the introduction and growth of technology our basic psychological make-up has remained the same. Entertainment has grown and developed through the ages, from the medieval court jester to the lions of the Coliseum.

One could argue that there is nothing questionable about this, that as it is an established and accepted custom our thirst for it must be quenched by any means possible. But entertainment comes at a price. If there were not stakes to be raised, emotions to be roused, conflict to be resolved, the audience, by which I mean us all, would be disengaged.

It is this thirst for entertainment that is so rewarding and yet so damaging. As our technology becomes more sophisticated, our tastes become more crude. Base, dehumanising entertainment such as home videos uploaded onto media sharing sites have multiplied in popularity at an astounding rate. The picture and sound quality is poor, the performers unheard of, the content devoid of artistic merit, but because of its ease of access, technology has taken control of the entertainment world.

The media is a fine example of an entertainment powerhouse. The media is dangerous because it represents real people and reports real events and the format of its representation is in the creative control of people that want money and lots of it. They. Will. Tell. You. Anything. And you'll believe it because it looks real, or other people believe it, or you'll like the design of the program and this will make you feel secure and trusting.

Closely linked to media-driven entertainment is media-driven communication. It is widely regarded that people like to have contact with other people, indeed, much of our home grown entertainment comes from engaging with others. No business is wiser to this than the mobile phone business. Horrifically clever advertising accurately portrays groups of young and attractive people overjoyed with the concept of interaction (a concept these companies would wrongfully have you believe they invented) to a rigorously sourced indie soundtrack. Don't put up with this! They are teaching you nothing! They are giving you nothing! All that is happening is a whirl of innovative design broadcasting into your living room, thinking it knows how you live.

Leaving aside the patronising approach these companies have,

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