Entertainment
is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an
audience, or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task,
but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have
developed over thousands of years specifically for the purpose of
keeping an audience’s attention. Although people’s attention is held by
different things, because individuals have different preferences in
entertainment, most forms are recognisable and familiar. Storytelling,
music, drama, dance, and different kinds of performance exist in all
cultures, were supported in royal courts, developed into sophisticated
forms and over time became available to all citizens. The process has
been accelerated in modern times by an entertainment industry which
records and sells entertainment products. Entertainment evolves and can
be adapted to suit any scale, ranging from an individual who chooses a
private entertainment from a now enormous array of pre-recorded
products; to a banquet adapted for two; to any size or type of party,
with appropriate music and dance; to performances intended for
thousands; and even for a global audience.
The experience of being entertained has come to be strongly
associated with amusement, so that one common understanding of the idea
is fun and laughter, although many entertainments have a serious
purpose. This may be the case in the various forms of ceremony,
celebration, religious festival, or satire for example. Hence, there is
the possibility that what appears as entertainment may also be a means
of achieving insight or intellectual growth.
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