When darkness entertains

The other day, while casually browsing through YouTube, I stumbled upon an engrossing vlog on the much-discussed Strait of Hormuz  , a place that has suddenly become the darling of political analysts and news channels alike. One video led to another, and before I realised it, I had travelled virtually from the Persian Gulf to Scandinavian cafés, from world politics to vintage Hindi songs, all without leaving the comfortable precincts  of my home.

That, perhaps, is the greatest triumph of modern OTT platforms. Entertainment today arrives not with a ticket counter and fixed timings, but instantly at the touch of a screen. Digital media has transformed our homes into mini theatres, libraries and travel lounges rolled into one making it perhaps the most convenient source of infotainment today. Packed with documentaries, travel vlogs, classic and  blockbuster movies, television series with endless seasons,suspense thrillers ,   global politics,  short films and educational content, they offer an astonishing variety. 

Naturally, such entertainment are 

the digital age stress busters . The mental horizon of the viewers expand with  varied cultures, ideas and experiences. Technology, in this regard, deserves admiration for making knowledge and entertainment accessible so effortlessly.

And yet, somewhere amidst this dazzling abundance of content, something deeply unsettling has quietly emerged.

 The most popular shows today thrive on darkness .

Audiences are  increasingly fascinated by stories overflowing with violence, revenge, hatred and psychological brutality.

Why do morally twisted characters receive thunderous applause while kindness appears almost unfashionable?

A friend recently recommended a “must-watch” web series to me.

“It’s absolutely brilliant!” she declared enthusiastically.

“What is it about?” I asked.

“Oh, just a serial killer with childhood trauma who preserves body parts in refrigerators,” she replied casually .

I nearly dropped my cup of tea !

Yet, given that such incidents are increasingly unfolding in real life, perhaps storytellers are merely holding up a mirror to society.

 There was a time when family dramas revolved around misunderstandings and emotional conflicts . Villains certainly existed, but even they maintained some degree of civility. Today’s villains, however, appear to require not merely imprisonment but immediate psychiatric intervention.

Modern entertainment often seems to compete in a bizarre championship of brutality.

The darkest revenge story  ,the most gruesome murder or the generous use of expletives seem to be on demand .

Anger in its most ghastly form, hatred, treachery, infidelity, schizophrenia  , uncensored profanity and morally disturbing behaviour are now served lavishly to audiences, albeit surprisingly, consumed voraciously and avariciously .

The disturbing question is : why?

What exactly are viewers enjoying in such atrocious and grotesque portrayals?

Is it because  their inner sadistic traits and neurosis are finding a catharsis ?

Perhaps modern life itself provides part of the answer. Human beings today carry immense stress, loneliness, insecurity and suppressed frustration. Watching fictional chaos may offer a strange emotional release. Psychologists often explain that people are subconsciously drawn towards stories that allow them to experience forbidden emotions safely.

Yet there is a fine line between catharsis and glorification.

Darkness in storytelling is not new. Great literature has always explored human flaws. 

William Shakespeare gave the world jealousy in Othello, ambition in Macbeth and betrayal in King Lear. But even amidst tragedy, there remained moral reflection and emotional consequence.

Today, however, cruelty is often glamorised ,violence  stylised and manipulation admired.

The anti-hero frequently overshadows the hero entirely.

And the audience begins not merely watching darkness, but celebrating it.

The gravest concern, however, lies elsewhere and that is with young and impressionable viewers.

Children and teenagers absorb far more than adults realise. Their growing years silently shape their emotional and moral framework. Repeated exposure to aggression, abusive language and emotional coldness gradually normalises such behaviour giving the impression that they are socially acceptable.

A particularly amusing yet worrying incident occurred

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