From Media to Mindset

Hello and good morning user’s of SpaceHey! 

Just yesterday i noticed that i have yet to put a post on my blog and knew that that absolutely had to change immediately – my pride as a self-proclaimed writer depended on it. 

The Topic i stitched together for this post is pretty straightforward. Ill be briefly covering the basics of how Media affects the mindset of the masses, and since i never have a good sense as to when closing up the introduction is appropriate, I’m going to close it right here and jump into it! 

Let’s be real—media, especially films, have a huge impact on how we think, feel, and act. Whether we realize it or not, the stories we watch can subtly shape our perspective of the world. Remember those childhood moments when you’d annoy your parents with epic sword fights or pirate impressions after watching Pirates of the Caribbean? Or how about those tea party requests after diving into Alice in Wonderland? 

Psychologists have been digging into this for years, and one key concept is social learning theory. This theory suggests that we learn by observing others, especially when those individuals are rewarded for their actions. 

For this discussion, let’s focus on a film you’ve probably seen or at least heard of: Superman (2025). 

 From the moment it hit theaters, the buzz around the phrase "punk is kind" took over social media, and we’ve seen waves of people embracing their passions without fear of judgment. That's largely because audiences are riding the wave of kindness and compassion that the film promotes.

When you see Superman consistently doing the right thing, it primes your brain to adopt those values in your own life. It’s not some kind of sorcery—it’s just simplistic psychology at work. We soak up what we see, especially when it’s delivered through emotionally charged storytelling. Plus, it’s pretty inspiring to see Superman come out on top without having to compromise on his values.

On the flip side, the film industry has sometimes leveraged this phenomenon in surprising ways. 

For an example, take my personal favorite horror franchise, SAW.

Back in October 2004, Lionsgate Entertainment kicked off a blood drive to promote the first film. Given that the franchise centers on the value of life, it makes total sense that this initiative, fueled by the idea of priming our conscience, would generate an impressive 4,200 pints of blood! If you think that's a whole lot, you're going to shocked to hear that when they repeated the drive for other films in the series, the total skyrocketed to 38,000 pints! 

Ultimately, movies are more than just explosions, jump scares, or capes billowing in the wind—they're about influence. It’s pretty mind-blowing when you think about it: a fictional universe shaping real-life actions. That’s the magic of storytelling! So, the next time you’re watching a film, don’t just ask yourself, “Was it good?” Instead, consider, “What is this trying to teach me... and is it working?”