Movies have become such an inseparable part of our lives, that it is tough to imagine a world without this form of entertainment. Of course, with the advent of newer technology, the number of theater goers has reduced drastically, but the number of movie viewers has sky rocketed. The movie industry is booming and shows no signs of relenting. The reason why movies are so ardently revered is because; they open a window of innumerable possibilities for its viewers. It lets you escape into a world which is far from the daily realities of life. The Positive Impact of Movies on Society Gives a Reality Check Certain movies play positive roles as well, and not all movies are bad. It however depends completely on the subject matter of the movie. Some movies try to create awareness about the socioeconomic and political state of affairs of nations. It spreads awareness about the evils of drug abuse, alcoholism, HIV, and the evils of having many sexual partners. Movies create awareness about the importance of education, medicine, art and politics. It also brings us to understand more about the depravity of the homeless, and the plight of underdeveloped countries, and countries stigmatized by years of war. All these movie genres help awaken our sense of responsibly and empathy towards such situations. These socially enlightening movies help us realize the message which was being conveyed. It influences our thought process in a positive way and helps us try to do our bit in order to be of some help to humanity. While the number of people who actually do something is doubtful, there have been cases where people have taken up animal protection and human right activities after being moved by a movie they watched. Induces Creativity Movies help boost our imagination. We think about the things we saw and then we take our imagination a little further and visualize. This is one of the reasons why the animation industry is gaining more and more enthusiastic entrants, who wish to learn the tricks of the trade. Even young aspiring actors and movie makers are desirous of joining the movie industry, simply because they too will get to explore new horizons of their creativity and produce something new and awe-inspiring. Generates Employment The movie industry has played a massive role in generating employment for people, the world over. Since there are so many people involved in making and producing a movie, it naturally has a wide scope for new job openings. More the people, the better. However, it requires specialized training and knowledge, in order to work for a movie. Provides Social Entertainment Movies act as an escape hatch for people who wish to forget about all their worries, frustrations and tensions, even if its effects last for a few hours. It entertains them and makes them focus of things which have nothing to do with their own personal lives. The Negative Impact of Movies on Society Spreads Propaganda Movies are successfully able to influence its viewers to a very large extent, which is exactly what the advertising industry capitalizes on. They use a few seconds of movie footage in order to market their products to the whole world. For instance, a new car model, or new designer clothes and accessories, are showcased to the world by the actors enacting their roles. This makes us aware of the new product, makes us curious and interested. This results in us finding out about the new product through the internet and through discussions with friends. This way, the chain of advertising and communication of the information continues in a flow smooth, without making the advertising companies spend a dime. Affects Lifestyle Everything we watch and listen to, affects and influences us at some level or the other. If not consciously, it leaves its traces in our psyche. Since we consider actors as superiors and almost have god-like devotion for them, whatever they do affects us as well. We try to emulate them and behave like them. We emulate their newest fashion trends, the way they speak, and the lifestyles they lead, both on and off-screen. We are interested in finding out which celeb is dating who, and what all they are up to in their personal and private lives. This is exactly why smoking in movies has been banned, because people watch their favorite actors smoking on-screen and it makes the people of society feel that they too must try it. At some point, we all think that it is the new cool thing to do, and we do it because it makes us feel special. Media affects our culture in many ways. For instance, movies have significantly affected our moral beliefs as well, by seriously jeopardizing the very foundation of marriage. Movies make it seem like it's normal to indulge in extramarital affairs, and polygamous relationships, which in reality might turn out to be an extremely unsafe and detrimental practice for everyone involved. Movies have their own plus and negative points, just like everything else in the world. Nonetheless, movies and their impact on society runs very deep and has become an integral part of our very existence. It affects us in more ways than we can imagine.