In my current living situation, I do not get mainstream television programming, I see bits of it, but no regular programs. I primarily watch Youtube and occasionally a series on Netflix or Amazon. This is quite a change for me, as in my former situation, I watched significantly more network TV. However, I do not miss it in the least. Now my TV intake is probably 50% entertainment and 50% information of an educational bent.

But, I rarely go to "entertainment" venues, I just don't seem to need the stimulation anymore. Periodically, I go to concerts, if I have someone to go with. I love museums; art, automobile, etc. But, mostly, I prefer being out in nature as much as I can, or talking with friends, or maybe playing pool (I'm not very good, but I enjoy it).

Man are social animals anything that gives us an interest excite us it is different for the mind to visualise from the normal day to day activites

Sure we are. Americans go shopping to entertain themselves when they are bored. Look how many folks love wrestling. It isn't even real and they don't care as long as it is entertaining. Americans are entertainment junkies.

Yes, we are self-serving, even hurting, killing animals for fun.

Yes

I believe that we are. Reality seems like too much ugliness or just plain boring. But, hard problems need to be solved and some of them are ugly and boring! And compared to reality TV and even a movie that is based on a real-life story, that must have added drama to hold attention...'real life' cannot be adjusted so easily! You cannot rewrite a 'real life,' script, right there on the spot! It takes time to grow and adjust to physical and emotional changes...not to mention educational development! Being intertained, takes little work, in fact, we are transported to another time and place...which would be fine in small doses! But, present day society, wants to much 'escape' and distraction in their life!

I think we are really addicted to reality TV Drama.

Yep. A brief scan of history--particularly ancient--will turn up examples of cultures that were devoted to other things: e.g. religion, philosophy, knowledge, science, scholarship, etc.

Ours sucks. I'll take Not Getting Ridiculed and Vilified By Your Peers for Preferring Intellectual Rigor for 1000, Alex.

And then there's Fox News... infotainment at its' worst.

Yes.

Bread and circuses, opiates for the masses, consume, consume, consume!
And never question.

I teach high school, and my students seemed shocked when I suggested that media (film, tv, etc) might exist for other purposes beyond entertainment.

Well this depends on what you consider entertainment. Look at the current state of "celebrity" in the world today. The Kardashisans provide nothing of value, but look at the success they've had. Also, the US has a reality star President.

We are being amused to death. I forget who said that originally, but it's spot on.

We are many things.

There was a trend once where more and more of us were far enough up the hierarchy of needs for entertainment or education or leisure to be major concerns, but don't worry, that's rapidly disappearing as the middle class goes down the tubes.

I am not entertained

What's wrong with having fun ?
I would say, not enough. Too many people stay depressed these days, maybe they need entertainment and enjoy life. ????

Animals in a cage zoo need stimulation - or they go stir crazy. Humans are "caged" by modern society. They need stimulation, as in entertainment, or they end up mentally deficient.
This site is a form of "entertainment" - it certainly keeps me sane!!

Hasn't every culture post agricultural revolution been an entertainment culture? Once survival is no longer the driving concern.

Considering that we are given Circuses, but no bread (because no one has earned it) then yeah - they want to entertain us with meaningless BS, to keep us distracted from the things that matter.