The Power of Entertaiment

Entertaiment means “to entertain.” Entertainment is all around us – from the personal choice of music or film to the preparation of a meal for two, or even global events televised for an audience of millions. While it is often viewed as frivolous, many forms of entertainment have a serious or practical purpose. For example, children’s play prepares them for adult responsibilities; and activities such as hunting or archery may have evolved into spectator sports. The power of entertaining is demonstrated by the way stories like Scheherazade, from the Persian professional storytelling tradition, have inspired orchestral works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Ravel and Szymanowski; a film by Pasolini; and innovative video games.