Leisure Time

Why are culture and arts important part of our leisure time activities?

The digital world has significantly decreased the importance of art and culture in people’s lives.
However, despite all the tech trends, both culture and art still have a great impact on the country’s
economy, education, and society overall. Besides enriching and nourishing your inner world, art and
culture illuminate your inner life and boost your creativity and imagination.

With better tolerance, enhanced health and learning, and opportunities to unite with each other, art and
culture improve the quality of life and boost well-being for communities and individuals alike.

Benefits of culture and arts for people: the opportunity to showcase your knowledge and talent,
fighting stress and anxiety, promoting the tourism industry, enhancing self-growth, expressing
emotions, increases creativity, sharpens critical thinking, learning about history, supports people to
learn positive lifestyle, conducts and outlooks.

What could be done to give more support to cultural activities like theatre, opera, ballet etc.?

Support for these activities could be found in bringing people from small age to these performances,
like compulsory visits of the theatre/performances, bring them backstage. They would get encouraged
to spend their free time and money on these kinds of activities, which would result in increased
interest over time. This would rise up the income of these organisations. Another way could be
advertisements in TV, social media or posters/billboards. It would bring people´s attention to these
activities and profit for the theatre…

How do cultural activities make a society better?

By bringing people together, cultural activities such as festivals, fairs, or classes create social
solidarity and cohesion, fostering social inclusion, community empowerment, and capacity-building,
and enhancing confidence, civic pride, and tolerance. Other positive outcomes:
- vanish stage fear
- good understanding of time management
- sense of responsibility

Do you think that finance and politics should be connected with art?

Like everything in this world, money and power play a part in art. Many famous masterpieces were
created due to being commissioned by some wealthy benefactor or some high-ranking official. A
number of prizes are also available to outstanding artists, often with a cash prize. While the
connections between finance and politics with art, can allow art and artists to flourish, there is also
concern that this relationship can limit and effectively censor it too. That connection between money
and politics is undoubtedly present in the history of architecture too.

Can you think of any examples of controversial art forms and pieces? Express your opinion of
them.
Throughout history, artists have been causing controversy and provoking people to see life differently.
Andy Warhol, a leading figure in the pop art movement, became one of the most influential and
controversial artists of his time. His work explored the line between artistic expression, celebrity
culture, mass production, and mass media culture. His world-famous painting Campbell’s Soup Cans
caused a stir when exhibited in LA – some were intrigued, while many dismissed it and were
disdainful. Warhol once said, “I should have just done the Campbell’s Soups and kept on doing
them… because everybody only does one painting anyway.”

Think and talk about mass media and their role in general. Choose the one you use the most and
state why/when.

Mass Media can be defined as a technology which is intended to communicate or reach a mass
audience. Mass media is actually the primary means of communication for the general public to
communicate with each other as well as on a grander level. The most popular types of mass media
include Newspapers, Radio, Television, Internet, Magazines and more!

 Mass media plays a crucial role in shaping how we view the world.
 Intensive use of mass media has resulted in the world to appear smaller and closer.
 It also promotes the distribution of goods and services.
 The fundamental objectives of mass media are to inform, educate and entertain the masses.
 It is known to be an important player in democracy and the smooth functioning of the nation.
 Media is the watchdog of society.
 Mass media works to transmit heritage and cultural values.
 The rise of new mass media creates a global platform to bring people together.

People of different age use different kind of media. Why is it so? Explain and give examples.

To start with elderly people, they usually use a print media or TV. They have easy access to get them
and are easy for them to use. Other forms of media that are more technological like internet, are for
most of the retired persons hard to use. Only disadvantage can be that they do not pay enough
attention to buy media with objective information and they read about scandals and huge problems.

The middle age group use wider range of media. They usually have smartphone, they know how to use
it and they are more inclined to get information from internet or TV. They can have a little problem
with usage, but their children are keen to help in most of the time. In this age group is nowadays
widespread using social side – facebook. They can choose how objective information they will have, it
is harder to get quality and objective information.

Lastly the youngest ones. Print media and TV are placed on the side and this age group gain sources
from internet. From educational channels on Youtube, from educational profils on Instagram but on
these platforms you find also videos and profils that are not great source of information, like letsplays,
makeup tutorials, colourful videos for children, songs,….

Do you agree that television is undoubtedly losing ground to people watching videos on the
Internet? Give your reasons.

Yes, I see it it on myself. I would rather play some videos of my interest on Youtube than watching
TV where I cannot choose what I am watching. It is hard to say that TV has not for me enough
channels to fulfil my needs. But it is true. I like the right to choose what I want.

Do you think we should be concerned about the power of the media? Why?

Which media, in your opinion, offer the highest objectivity and reliability for the public?

It is hard to say because in every category we can find high objective and lower objective media. I
would start with print media that are also connected with their electronic for on the internet. In my
opinion from Slovak newspaper range I would say that SME and DENNIK N are the most objective
media from Slovaks. They have quality source of information and journalist too. I like to read from
this newspaper some of the articles. What I like to do more is to what their video interviews with
politics, well-known people or some specialist on the actual topic.

Talk about new modern technologies connected with reading books and press. Give their pros
and cons and benefits about them.

We have access to carry thousand of books only in one thing. New era of electronic reading is here.
We know tablets and readers for reading books in comfort light, thin and practical machine. Only
thing I see as a problem with blue light which has negative effect on quality of your eyesight and with
back pain, reading people or people using their smartphones are more inclined to round their backs in
irreparable shapes.

What are the benefits of reading books?

It is shown by brains scans that throughout the reading period and for days afterward, brain
connectivity increased, especially in the brain part responsible for physical sensations like movement
and pain.

Some basic benefits are that you increase new words, learned in context and only 30 minutes of
reading can lower blood pressure, heart rate. It is feeling of psychological distress just as effectively as
yoga and humour did.

To the end I want to mention is that reading books and magazines is recommended for elderly people
to keep their mind engaged as they become older.