Whether it’s every Friday night or every night where tickets are half price (is it Tuesday everywhere?), for a lot of people, movies have a ritualistic element to them, or are simply part of a familiar yet enjoyable routine. It may not be carried out with the same devotion that the devout have for making it to church every Sunday, but there’s likely less of a moral compulsion to be that deeply committed to the cause.
This speaks to the spiritual factor both realms possess, however, because both have an element of spiritual or some kind of nourishment that can give people the strength to make it through the week that follows. Films and religion contain this function of making people feel fulfilled, which can provide a special kind of energy that drives a certain zeal that’s not unlike the payoff of any other behavioral addiction. It shouldn’t be too surprising that both activities take on this routine element.
Continue reading on the next page…