On Discretion...

Entertainment is defined by the American Oxford Dictionary as the action of providing or being provided with amusement or enjoyment. It's a conscious act, chosen by the entertained, deliberate and intentional. Because it's deliberate, it, therefore, makes entertainment a moral issue. And, so with the available choices out there and the ones displayed here on my blog, I thought I might touch on the subject of discretion.

British Judge Lord Scarman defines discretion as the art of suiting action to particular circumstances. The American Oxford Dictionary defines it as the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation. Discretion is situational, unique and subjective. Therefore it all spins on choice.

To exercise discretion it's important to know yourself. What are you like? What are your limits? Your constitution? It's also important to know what may cause you emotional, mental and spiritual discomfort. Conversely, what makes you happy, fulfilled, and spiritually uplifted. When you know who you are, your choices are easier to make and it becomes simpler to say "no." There are many tools to help you avoid painful situations. The rating system is one of them.

The MPAA is a collective of parents, teachers, clergy members and other community members who review and decide the appropriateness of films for children. It's a good start, but the ratings themselves are a blanket statement. The important thing to look for is the "why." Why is this film rated this? Am I comfortable with the reasons? If not, "just say no" and don't buy the ticket or rent that DVD.

When I was young, my parents decided what was best for me. They knew me, knew what they wanted for me and they chose what went through my head. And my brothers and I listened, for the most part. There are websites out there who's sole purpose is to make a laundry list for parents and unsure adults to peruse in order to ascertain what is objectionable in any given movie. As both a writer and a film watcher, I can say these sites present a level of hyper-clinicality that destroys the beauty of the story told. I rely on my family and friends' recommendations for what is good, because they know me. For example, my nephews can handle more tense content than my niece, she's very sensitive, and I know what not to select when she's an audience member.

In the last five years, I've only chosen a handful of films to view that have been too much to handle, and it was all due to lack of research. Trailers, IMDB.com and Wikipedia are tools that may have assisted in protecting me from the exposure to the subject matter that left my heart disturbed. I'll be honest, it takes practice to know if a movie is right for you without these things.

Know yourself; it's so important you do, because it's your greatest defense. There are movies out there designed to harm you, and if you fail to know what you're able to handle, the cost is innocence and the damage will be irreparable.