Education; Is it good to teach through entertainment media?
By ShardAerliss
@ShardAerliss (1488)
April 24, 2008 12:46pm CST
Carl Djerassi (creator of the contraceptive Pill) once said;
Fiction and drama can be used for smuggling complex scientific information into the consciousness of the public.
Do you think he was right? Is using fiction a good way to educate the public, to disseminate new information and knowledge?
Is this dangerous? Is this why some groups fear and revile TV and movies, because it can be used to 'secretly' teach people the 'wrong' things?
Or can fiction only ever be used for entertainment? Is the fact that so much TV and so many movies are 'dumb' preventing people from taking the media seriously as a tool for education?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@alamode (3071)
• United States
25 Apr 08
Its amazing to me how much of what was 'science fiction' is fact today... I think that responsible people do use the media to teach... or at least accustom people to the idea of particular things. It has even opened the way for many of the new inventions, procedured and methods we use today. We struggle with what we don't know... if its explained, no matter how, its easier for us to understand and deal with.
I've never understood the 'dumb' comedies, and speculative fiction that has no hope of being realized... we're better than that!
@ShardAerliss (1488)
•
25 Apr 08
Hey, and thanks for the response :)
I like your turn of phrase here; "accustom people to idea of particular things." Yes, getting people accustomed to new and perhaps complicated ideas. I think that's exactly what Djerassi was getting at when he said what I quoted.
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
25 Apr 08
I believe that fiction is a creative way to educate the public on what ever the topic is. The way a person processes such information does not give cause for groups to believe that the information being given in a subconscious way is good or bad.
For instance, a fictional story of a man who was robbed and then went so far as to seek revenge does not mean that everyone should do it. Those people that use fictional means for entertainment should also understand that it is solely fiction.. although it may be based off of realistic means it does not give cause to exercise such. I also believe that people should pay close attention to the ratings on materials such that is shown on t.v. or in video games. A rating system should also be sought for books so that a person reading is well aware of it's contents before purchasing the book.
@ShardAerliss (1488)
•
25 Apr 08
Hello, and thanks for the response :)
I think you have outlined what many people fear; that education through entertainment is such an excellent tool that anyone can utilise to teach children 'bad' things... and it may be so subtle that parents do not notice until it is too late.
How true this is... well all I can say is that people should have more faith in their children's ability to chose right from wrong.
Ah, ratings on books. This is an argument I have had a few times with friends. The blurb on the back should be enough to inform someone of a books content. However, that is not always the case. I bought a book a long time ago called Seasons of Plenty. It was a sci-fi book and seemed pretty average. I didn't read it for years though, not till I was into my 20's... and found it was rather 'adult' and perverse (fortunately that's where my tastes lie anyway). Nothing that happened in the book that could be considered unsuitable for children was mentioned in the blurb on the back.
However, I cannot advocate an enforced ratings system for books. Literature is, in a way, self censoring already. A child will not be able to read and process 'adult' books... nor would they even chose to do so. A few loose guidelines on 'blurbs' would be nice though.
