EnterTainMent...

Since the dawn of human life, people have sought ways in which to entertain themselves. From gory gladiator fights to violent video games and silent films to raucous music, entertainment has been vital to survival. However, these things can go deeper than just merely being entertaining. As a matter of fact, these things have had a positive influence on our lives, which is why we are writing this paper.

Many people have negative thoughts when it comes to rap music. And this could be understood with all the cursing and violence that comes along with a lot of it. However, there has been one great rap artist that has really influenced my life. Once you get passed the cursing and obscenities, you will see how great Tupac really is.

I think that I have always had a short temper ever since I was a little kid. Everyone needs something that calms them and helps them focus. My thing has always been music, and Tupac’s music has always been my “calm down” music. His songs always have a message, unlike a lot of rap stars’ songs today. Most rappers who are famous today got famous because they had banging beats, or great hooks, or an appealing image. Tupac was different, and, even though he is dead, his music will always live on.

Tupac’s music has influenced my life in many ways. For instance, I can calm down a lot quicker if I spend some time alone with a Tupac CD and just lay down for a while. I also think a lot deeper. I have different views on stuff, and I am a more open-minded person. Many of the scenarios in Tupac’s songs have inspired me to want to better myself and to do things to help other people. I am less selfish and more giving, and more forgiving. Basically, I truly believe I am a better person. To show you what I mean, here is a quote from one of my favorite Tupac songs “Keep Your Head Up”: “I know they like to beat you down a lot/And you come around the block brothers clown a lot/But please don’t cry/Dry your eyes; Never let up/Forgive, but don’t forget, girl keep your head up/And when he tells you you ain’t nothing, don’t believe him/And if he can’t learn to love you, you should leave him/‘Cause sister you don’t need him/And I ain’t trying to gas you up; I just call em I see em.” These lyrics are just one of the many examples of how Tupac’s lyrics have touched my life. Tupac Shakur is a legend, and I am so glad he wrote the way he did. His style of writing has greatly influenced my style of living.



I can never understand why most parents condemn video games. Take my mother for example: she has rallied against video games in our house since I was in kindergarten. Even though they have wormed their way into our home anyway, she still tries to regulate what my younger brothers play (although she fails miserably at that as well.) Many people consider video games of all genres and ratings a complete waste of time. However, think of all the academic computer games you were forced to play in early schooling or at home. I, for one, can attest too many of those. For most, gaming is purely a form of entertainment (although for some, a way of life) that cannot truly be put down as any more worthless than watching hours of TV or sleeping. My two favorite games (well, okay maybe they're also the only two games I've ever extensively played) are Doom and World of Warcraft. My dad ripped a copy of Doom from his brother not long after the game was released and I basically grew up playing it (along with the boring math and spelling games). In general, I do not really believe that I can say any form of sitting on my ass constitutes as "a positive experience for me," but I believe that it has affected me in small ways. For example, I am the only girl I know who has ever played Doom. That's something different about me that most of the people I know cannot match. During the past year, I've grown quite attached to World of Warcraft. Again, it's had its negative effects on me, but through the game I've become closer to friends, made new ones, and even became acquainted with people around the world. It also happens to be an infallibly good method of de-stressing and cooling my temper. Whatever your choice form of entertainment may be, it will always have some sort of positive influence on you. Why else would you spend your time doing it? That is, unless you're just lazy and don't have any qualms about letting your brain rot while "engaging" in mindless activity. It's true that most forms of entertainment are time wasters, but they make us more unique and attuned to the world around us.



Was the year that I spent playing World of Warcraft all worth it? I can’t deny that I had fun at first. At the end however it was more of a hassle than anything. I blew of schoolwork and studying, to play video games. In the end I probably would’ve found another way to blow it off anyways, but WoW made it easier for me to do so. However, the game did have some positive effects on my life. One valuable thing WoW has taught me is a skill that I use all the time. It taught me how to procrastinate and get by with a minimal amount of sleep. This skill is something I find myself using all the time while I’m in school. Another thing that has been a positive for me is the people I’ve met. Not only have I met friends across the world, I have met people in the world outside WoW, who share the same love of video games. Many of these people have become good friends, who I still jeep in touch with today. Although most of them have moved out of Memphis, we still keep in touch through the game. It is those people that made it all worth while.

Sources of entertainment are more than simple things to keep boredom from creeping up on you. Forms of entertainment serve as ways of life, calm stress and nerves, and develop connections between people. Despite the connotations that come with most forms of entertainment, they are conducive and help to establish individuality and personality.