Hi everyone, Shalom Aleichem!
Good evening GanSist everyone! 
In several previous Superwoman Series, we have discussed various important basics in building strong women. Starting from building independence, controlling consumer behavior, exploring personal strengths, choosing productive hobbies, recognizing toxic relationships, to forming discipline to fight shopping addiction.
From Superwoman SeriesIn this 117th edition, we will discuss something that is often considered trivial, but actually has an influence on the way of thinking and daily habits, namely soap operas.
Soap operas are a form of entertainment that has long been a part of Indonesian people’s lives. It cannot be denied that soap operas can be a means of relaxation after busy activities. Many soap operas also highlight the values of family, friendship and life’s struggles which can provide inspiration.
However, like other forms of passive entertainment, soap operas can also have unfavorable impacts if consumed excessively or without a critical attitude. The science of media psychology explains that passive entertainment that is consumed continuously can influence the way a person views conflict, form certain expectations, and influence emotional and social habits.
Therefore, a Superwoman not only avoids shopping addiction, but also chooses shows that are healthy for her mind.
Here are 4 things worth paying attention to.
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1. Accustomed to chasing instant gratification
The human brain has a reward system (reward system) which makes us feel happy when we get something pleasant.
Watching soap operas can be a reasonable entertainment. However, if all free time is always filled with passive entertainment, a person can lose the opportunity to gain satisfaction through activities that require effort, such as exercising, studying, participating in competitions, or developing skills.
For example, someone might prefer to spend three hours watching a soap opera rather than using that time to practice rhythmic gymnastics, read a book, or learn a new art form.
In fact, success in sports, education and work provides a deeper sense of satisfaction because it is obtained through the process of learning and practice.
Psychology differentiates satisfaction that is obtained quickly from satisfaction that arises from long-term achievements. Short-term gratification is enjoyable, but if it continues to be the main choice, it will become increasingly difficult for a person to postpone desires for greater goals.
This does not mean that soap operas should be avoided completely. What needs to be maintained is a balance so that entertainment does not take over time that should be used to develop oneself.
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2. Encourages judgments that focus too much on beauty
In many television productions, the main characters are often chosen based on excessive beauty. This is part of the entertainment industry’s strategy because beauty is one of the elements that attracts the attention of the audience.
However, if someone is too often exposed to shows that almost always display certain standards of beauty or good looks, there is a possibility that the opinion will arise that a person’s value is mainly determined by their appearance.
This phenomenon has been widely discussed in research on objectification, namely the tendency to view someone primarily based on their physical appearance rather than other qualities such as competence, empathy, or integrity.
As a result, some viewers may begin to compare themselves to unrealistic standards or give greater credit to physically attractive people without considering other qualities.
As a Superwoman, you need to remember that beauty can indeed be an attraction, but a person’s worth is much more determined by competence, empathy, strength, hard work and integrity. Passive entertainment should be enjoyed without losing the ability to evaluate a person as a whole.
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3. Get the audience used to seeing scenes that don’t fit logic
Fictional dramas are not required to always be the same as reality. Dramatic elements are often used to make the story more interesting.
However, there are times when a show presents scenes that are so far from reality that if accepted without critical thinking it can form inaccurate perceptions.
For example, a skinny teenage girl was able to rebel against four adult male police officers who arrested her without the slightest difficulty. Another example is a medical scene that does not comply with actual clinical logic, such as a patient who brutally removes an IV from his hand without experiencing severe bleeding.
Scenes like this are not a problem if the audience understands that everything is a dramatic element. Problems arise when someone starts to think that the picture really reflects reality.
Therefore, critical thinking skills are very important. Audiences need to differentiate between story necessity and scientific fact. With this attitude, entertainment can still be enjoyed without reducing the ability to understand reality.
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4. Romanticizing conflict and excessive emotions
Conflict is an important element in almost all stories. Without conflict, a drama may feel flat. Therefore, many soap operas feature quarrels, jealousy, revenge, crying, or emotional outbursts as the main part of the storyline.
The problem is, if someone consumes stories too often that always show conflict as the center of attention, they can start to think that relationships full of drama are something normal, or even very positive.
In fact, in real life, healthy relationships are built more through calm communication, mutual respect, the ability to listen, and humane problem solving.
Research on emotional regulation shows that the ability to control emotions is related to mental health, quality of relationships, and well-being.
A strong woman is not a woman who always reacts dramatically to every problem. On the other hand, strong women are able to think clearly, manage their emotions, and make decisions based on human considerations.
Therefore, don’t use television dramas as a reference in dealing with daily life conflicts.
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Watching wisely is much more important than stopping watching
It should be understood that not all soap operas have the same influence on everyone. The influence of media is influenced by many factors, such as age, education level, life experience, critical thinking skills, and viewing duration.
Therefore, the purpose of this discussion is not to invite you to hate soap operas or avoid all television shows. What is more important is to build the habit of choosing what to watch consciously.
Take time to watch shows that provide new knowledge, broaden your horizons, or inspire self-development. If you enjoy soap operas, do so within reasonable limits and remain aware that the story is a work of fiction created for entertainment purposes. Thus, entertainment remains a means of relaxation without interfering with mental growth.
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CLOSURE
What we consume every day is not only food, but also information and entertainment. The human mind is slowly shaped by what is seen, heard and thought most often.
As part of Superwoman Series #117, this discussion invites you to be an intelligent viewer. There is nothing wrong with enjoying soap operas, but using these shows as the only source of entertainment or as a depiction of real life can give rise to inaccurate perceptions.
A Superwoman understands that passive entertainment should provide time to rest, not replace studying, working, exercising, building healthy relationships, and developing mentally.
When you are able to choose what to watch humanely, limit excessive passive entertainment, and still prioritize activities that develop yourself, you are training one of the most important skills in modern life, namely the ability to control your focus. From directed focus good habits will emerge, and from good habits a strong mentality will grow.
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SOURCE
Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory of mass communication. Media Psychology, 3(3)265–299.
Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T.-A. (1997). Objectification theory: Toward understanding women’s lived experiences and mental health risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21(2)173–206.
Grabe, S., Ward, L. M., & Hyde, J. S. (2008). The role of the media in body image concerns among women: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 134(3)460–476.
Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1)1–26.
Potter, W. J. (2013). Media literacy(6th ed.). Sage Publications.
Valkenburg, P. M., & Piotrowski, J. T. (2017). Plugged in: How media attract and affect youth. Yale University Press.
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