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.[1] 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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