COMMUNICATING CHANGE AND SOCIETAL VALUES IN SELECTING NIGERIAN HOME MOVIES

Thesis Overview

INTRODUCTIONThe word change has so many meanings depending on the context in which it is used. However, one major point that keeps reoccurring is the move from one state to another. Change in a society refers to an alteration in the social order of the society, it may include changes in nature, social institutions, social behaviours, or social relations. Thus change can refer to any significant alteration over a period of time in behaviour patterns, cultural values and norms. The world today is changing so fast economically, socially, politically and even physically. The argument however is whether the change is for the better or for the worse. This change is made rapid by the increasing new ways of communication especially the media which has increased accessibility to knowledge. This has changed the ways individuals, groups, and societies think, feel, behave, and interact. In spite of the seeming objectives of the new communication mediums, a great deal of fear and outrageous optimism permeates opinions about its attendant negative consequences. This is so because the inundation of too much information is a potential threat to the ability to process which information is actually needed. Film has over the years become a pervasive and ever present entity in our lives, as well as a strong influence for constructing meaning in our everyday live. Social Comparison Theory posits that ―people will [at some point in their lives] compare themselves and significant others to people and images whom they perceive to represent realistic goals to attain‖ (Botta, 1999: 26). With the passage of time, we have unconsciously looked up to the media to help us define, explain, and shape the world around us; we make automatic comparisons of ourselves, those close to us, and situations in our lives after seeing images in the media. The result of these comparison is that we are motivated to strive for, and achieve, new found goals and expectations as perceived by us in the films. Films now preside over many daily decisions on the sense of our world and exposes human beings to completely new perspective. It has over time reduced the world to a global village sharing cultures, beliefs, values and history. With our lives influenced by the culture around us, it is impossible for it not to either be positive or negative. However, this is dependent on what we listen to or watch, whichever way, what we do has direct impact on our lives because everything has a direct link to some part of us be it music, media, celebrities, fashion, and even literature.