Changing Culture For Good

Can culture be changed for good? Of course it can. In the area of movies and media we are seeing their success in influencing and changing culture for good. For example, on April 4, OnDVDRelease.com again reports on the staying power of redemptive, family DVDs. In the Drama category, War Room remains a top-selling DVD, along with Miracles From Heaven, even in pre-release. In the animation category, Zootopia (in pre-release), is the top-selling DVD and The Peanuts Movie remains a top-selling DVD.

Pan continues as a top-selling DVD in the family category.  War Room also continues as a top-selling DVD in the African American category. Risen (in pre-release) remains the top-selling DVD in the mystery and historical categories.  Woodlawn continues as a top-selling DVD in the sports category. These are all good, redemptive family movies that are entertaining but at the same time edifying in terms of good values that will stand the test of time. 

‘Pan’ is one of the top-selling family DVDs: photo courtesy Warner Bros.

Can culture be changed for good? Of course it can. There are abundant examples of this throughout the world and history. But the change for good does not usually happen overnight but over time. Watching the staying power of good, redemptive, family movies encourages the importance of producing good, positive, constructive work that makes a difference over time. Good, redemptive, family movies and media prevail in the box office, in DVD sales, in what is offered on streaming services, as well as what is produced and maintained for TV, especially when consumers interested in family and redemptive values vote with sales and with their online ratings.  In is also instructive to view how many edgy, dark movies that start out well, plummet before long, not standing the test of time.

Movieguide.org has conducted research on movie preferences, staying power of films, and what movies are the most successful. They present their report of their long-term studies and research Movieguide® Awards Gala in Hollywood each year that show that movies with redemptive content are the most successful. 

‘The Peanuts Movie’ is a great family film with positive values : photo courtesy Blue Sky studios.

Few lives have demonstrated how culture can be changed and how it is the power of redemptive love and perseverance that can change society and culture for good. Dr. Martin Luther King said we can change our world and tells how in his book, “You Can Change Your World: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Ten-Point Plan.” Dr. King spoke of the importance of love and perseverance. He said, “…Moving forward often takes a circuitous course. Sometimes roads are built to accommodate the mountains in their way, which may necessitate a longer journey in terms of miles or time, but the road will eventually get you where you want to go, if you persist.”

There is great value in persistence, perseverance, and steadfastness that can produced great good over time. Those who are involved in producing and supporting good movies, media, and other efforts to change and improve our world for good need to keep on keeping on!