More than ever, there is a huge need to understand other people’s perspectives. Documentaries are one of the most enjoyable and effective ways of doing this. These visual narratives can help one better understand the world and not just get some information; one’s view of reality may be changed.
#1 – To Get Exposed to Diverse Cultures and Lifestyles
Documentaries are windows into lives far removed from our own. Whether it is a film about indigenous tribes in the Amazon or a deep dive into the busy streets of Tokyo, through documentaries, one catches glimpses of the intimacy of how others live, think, and interact with the world around them.
You will appreciate cultural diversity even more once you plunge into those stories. You start getting the idea that despite the differences in the cultures, beliefs, and traditions that are in place, human beings are all the same. Well, if you’re in the process of broadening your knowledge, why not have a go and risk a little and click here to place a bet with a bit of entertainment and predicting?
#2 – To Understand Complex Issues
There are certain issues that cannot be comprehensively grasped in minutes or via reading some small article online. Documentaries take you through issues at length, hence helping you to understand them in depth. Documentaries fill out a specific issue in great detail: climate change, economic inequity, or the refugee crisis. It lets you understand the greater picture and zoom into individual stories to put a face on the data and statistics.
#3 – To Challenge Your Preconceptions
We are not without prejudices and preconceived notions, decided by how we grew up, where we grew up, and what we select to watch and read. Documentaries have the power to challenge these preconceptions by bringing you facts, stories, and perspectives that perhaps you never had the chance to consider. As such, you may have watched a documentary about prison reform that changed your mind about the justice system or a film on animal rights that sparked the urge to change your food preferences.
#4 – To Encourage Empathy and Compassion
Perhaps one of the most powerful tools that documentaries have is eliciting empathy. Through the representation of actual stories of actual people, the documentary opens a window in which one can connect with other people whose way of life runs so contrary to one’s own.
This provides a mental connection that helps one show more comprehension and empathy toward other human beings, which is very significant in ensuring the establishment of a society that is inclusive and of an empathetic nature.
#5 – To Inspire Action and Change
The documentary format educates but, at the same time, may inspire action. After you have watched a documentary that dwells on environmental damage due to plastic waste, you could make up your mind to cut down on plastic use. A social justice documentary film might inspire a viewer to pursue community work or activism.
Most documentaries end with a call to action, encouraging the audience to apply what they learned from the viewing. In this way, the inspiration to act goes a long way toward expanding one’s worldview through a documentary, too—not just changing what one thinks but also how one lives.
#6 – To Acquire Knowledge Beyond the Classrooms
While formal education sets a foundation of knowledge, it is mostly limited due to cuts in the curriculum. Documentaries provide an opportunity to learn outside the classroom and find subjects that may not be taught in school. Whether it’s about learning the origins of jazz, complex quantum physics, or how some long-forgotten civilization existed, documentaries serve as an archive of information that can be referred to in order to make learning interesting and applicable.
#7 – To Foster Global Awareness
There exists a huge need to be informed about events outside one’s borders. Documentaries, basically, introduce this global perspective to the viewer through their coverage of global issues, cultures, and events. Watching a documentary will keep you updated on current international events, global challenges, and the realization that what happens miles away might affect your life. This will go a long way in providing a wide view and being an informed and responsible global citizen.
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