"Now you know the beginning is always the chief thing in every process, especially for whatever is young and tender -- for it is then most easily molded and each takes the shape which you wish to impress upon each."

Philosophers might recognize this quote. It's from Plato's The Republic in which Socrates discusses the point of literature and the process of education. He continues: "Then shall we just carelessly allow the children to hear any chance fables molded by chance persons, and to receive in their souls opinions which are generally contrary to those which we believe they ought to have when they grow up?"

Plato is making the point that education begins in the nursery, with fables and fairy tales, which must be very carefully censored to ensure a suitable moral tone. What's that? Censorship?! No. This article does not address that topical issue (though some might decipher it as such) but the issue of ethics and the storyteller.

The storyteller of today enters our home on a daily basis through the mediums of cinema and television. Like the storytellers of yore, they weave their tales to an enraptured audience who then set out and repeat what they have heard. Oh, such power they possess...such stature they hold...such responsibility they carry? Should storytellers (in this case, screenwriters) be ethically responsible for their prose and what events may transpire?

Now, don’t confuse “ethical responsibility” with “legal responsibility.” As for as the latter, two recent cases come to mind in which a script/film allegedly produced a negative impact in our society. The first is that of Oliver Stone and his Natural Born Killers. The second is the film The Program. The Program? To rehash: College jocks follow the lead of a mentally unreliable quarterback. They lie down in traffic on the divider line, while trucks fly by -- to test their 'manhood.' Real world jocks imitate the scene, with less positive results. Outrage forced the studio to cut the offending scene though the filmmakers were found not legally responsible for the tragic event. But, what of the question of "ethical responsibility?" Should anyone take responsibility? Plato might have thought so.

Plato stated that education begins at a very early stage. Once upon a time, many received life knowledge from their peers, family, parents and clergy. Today, more and more adolescents flock to a new teacher: the electronic media. Films, television, video games and, perhaps soon, the Internet have taken over a larger role in molding one's concept of 'society.' Sure, there are those who would argue for hard evidence showing a link between a murder in real life and a similar murderous act portrayed in a movie. But the overlooked aspect is that people are inspired/affected by anything and everything from the sun rising to a conversation between two winos in an alley. The electronic media bombards us with images, information and emotion from a very impressionable age. Who's to say what we absorb and what we don't? Sound familiar? Indeed, such questions are reminiscent of the "Cultivation Theory."

George Gerbner raised many a skeptic's brow with his "Cultivation Theory” whose basic theme was: “Does persistent long term exposure to TV content have a small but measurable effect on the perceptual world of audience members?” Proponents would argue the “moving picture” nurtures us from the beginning constructing morals, beliefs and feelings; just as Plato stated 2300 years prior. Critics would say we are responsible for our own actions (free will) -- yet no one exists in vacuum. If one is so “free” in their will, why are so many today programmed to the negative aspects of life in their storytelling?

Many of today’s scripts are filled with themes focusing on the negative forces of life. Network television pushes the proverbial envelope in an effort to compete with cable networks that in turn, push the envelope to compete with the big-screen. Hollywood would argue they are pushing no envelope, no moral issues, but giving the audience what they demand. True. A constant supply of junk food will only create a larger craving.

So how can our appetite for junk food be sedated? This is where the storyteller can take the first step. The storyteller is our first contact. The storyteller nurtures us in our infancy exposing a brave new world. The storyteller formulates characters, concocts events, rouses emotions and establishes a vision. Indeed, society is overrun with adverse characters, events, and emotions yet there are so many positive themes in life to tell. Now, don't be confused by the previous statement. This hardly means fabricating a sugarcoated world of bliss and merriment, yet why focus on negativity when the writer can explore more positive themes? Or in the least, take a negative and put a positive spin on it. Take for example, the subject of death.

Death is by far one of the most negative-impacting events in our society. It’s a fact: everything that lives, dies. Stories can easily be created with death as their themes but the difference between Schindler's List and Blood Thirsty Zombies from Hell is that the former shows a realistic viewpoint of death. It does not glorify death as macho, prestigious or blasé. The latter uses mindless bloodshed and terror in the same fashion newspaper reporters have used a tactic called “yellow journalism” to hype a product, by any means, and to sell it regardless of content.

So, how can today’s screenwriter take empty hype and mold it into a product of worthy rewards? One step at a time. When writing that next script, ask: "Is there some positive message being said here?" “Is there something in this script just to make it "saleable" but that could (not would) create a negative impact on society?" “Can I raise consciousness without inhibiting my creativity?”

Small steps. Small steps that foster greater steps. Steps that will someday write for an audience which doesn’t have an appetite for such destructive elements -- for junk food.

Copyright © 1999 by Terrence J. Brady

Terrence J. Brady received his B.A. in film from Loyola University Chicago and is currently working on his seventh feature script. Future plans are to relocate to Vancouver and pursue a career in post-production. For now, he invites you to his film/screenwriting site, THIRD MILLENNIUM entertainment.