Should materialistic movies be avoided?

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Movies like Mean Girls, Clueless and shows like Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars
 
What are materialistic movies ?

And how do you know they are materialistic without having watched them ?
 
I’ve watched them. They are big on fashion, beauty and appearance and the lives of teenage girls.
 
It’s different for different people. Some people might find those movies amusing and entertaining and have no problem with it, while others might find it leads them towards sin or lessens their focus on God. If you determine a particular movie would likely influence you to sin, it’s better not to watch it. If you determine it won’t influence you to sin, then go for it.
 
They are movies, for entertainment. Not real life. It’s a bit scrupulous to worry this much about seeing some dumb fluff movie.

As long as the movie isn’t going to motivate you to run out and buy a ton of stuff you can’t afford and don’t need, then it’s not a problem.

Side note not directed at the OP: I can’t believe there are so many people (dozens besides the OP) who worry so much about whether looking at a non-porn movie, listening to a record, or playing a video game is somehow sinful. You need to live your life without worrying about whether every magazine, every ice cream bar, every time you spend some money at the store is a sin.
 
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Sometimes I wish I could shop at those fancy stores featured in the movie or looked effortlessly beautiful most of the time. That’s where I believe the problem lies.
 
I am generally content with my own life. Watching those movies or shows makes me wish I had enough money to travel wherever I wanted, could afford high-end cosmetics and fashion and looked effortlessly beautiful.
 
Materialistic attitudes should be avoided. Some can watch movies containing immorality without adopting those attitudes, some cannot.
 
Well Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars also deal with premarital sex and homosexuality…if they lead you to think either premarital sex or homosexual actions are ok, then I think its best to avoid them. Being rich and liking it is the least of their issues. Meangirls actually teaches that you shouldn’t try to fit in with those kind of materialistic people, so I don’t think its bad to watch(as long as you are an appropriate age).
 
The answer would depend entirely on what effect the movies have on you. If something about the movie makes you unhappy with the things you don’t have then yes, avoid them.

Ageing way past the main characters will help. Even if a movie is about teens living in opulence or travel, I’d really rather not be a teenager again so…yeah.

Want one that won’t make you feel that way? Watch “I am Dragon” on Amazon Prime or wherever. It is such a beautiful story! I want to make my daughters watch it because I know they’d love it too, but it occurrs to me they need to learn to read or learn Russian. They’re still too little to master either.
 
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There are not many shows the discourage what you listed above. Finding an adult show that doesn’t deal with sex and homosexuality is difficult. I’m a little too old to feel influenced to do those anymore. I watched Sex and the City, I see how it affects me in a materialistic way.
 
The siren call of decadence in some of these movies can be a bit much for some people who are caught up in the allure of such things. For you it might be fashion, for me in the 1980s for example, when I had money for such things it was night clubs. Atlanta had dance clubs that were only matched by New York, Washington and LA. I went out every night.

Then I moved on to more earthly pursuits in the 90s. So, I tend to avoid flicks and series that exalt such things. Could I watch any of these things without a problem? Most likely, but why put myself in a position to get a seed planted in my mind that might later turn into a weed in the garden of my efforts in purity?

You could probably watch these things without much of a problem, but why not make a safer choice? I think it is a good thing that you are being vigilant. For many, there wouldn’t be a problem, but we all have our areas of weakness. If you suspect there might be an issue, skip it and choose something else. If you think you are being scrupulous, look at the ten commandments for the scrupulous. We are instructed to use custody of the eyes, and that can take many different forms for different people.
 
I used to watch Sex and the City too when I was not practicing. Looking back, I can see how it could’ve influenced my attitudes about certain things.
 
Materialistic movies are just a part of this world’s corrosive influence on faith.

You would not believe how much more content, at peace and satisfied with life you could be by simply divorcing yourself from this corrosive influence. Except for Catholic radio/TV, I have rejected all of it. I cancelled all newspapers, don’t watch TV, listen only to Catholic radio. Much more positive now. Anything important that we need to pray for, we will be made aware of it soon enough.

As to media influence, it is good to remember: the serpent is the most subtle of all the creatures. He wants us to take only a very slight, almost unnoticeable step off the path. He will take care of the rest.
 
Jump4Joy said:
I am generally content with my own life. Watching those movies or shows makes me wish I had enough money to travel wherever I wanted, could afford high-end cosmetics and fashion and looked effortlessly beautiful.
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But we don’t even need to watch them to have those thoughts. It doesn’t make watching them a sin.

Heck, I watch the Travel Channel and think, dude, where would I be right now if I were loaded and didn’t have to work? LOL. And I watch HGN and think, dang, I’d love to have a house like that.

The first house we bought was very simple, but very nice. And I cried when we signed the papers because never in my wildest dreams did I ever believe at only 29 I’d ever own a house that nice. We still own and rent it out and I’ve had nicer houses since, but I can’t wait to live in that one again, likely when I retire. That’s “my” house. 🙂 So I’m content. But I like to dream, too. And wish.

That’s not sinful in the least. That’s just human nature. It’s when it monopolizes your life that you have a problem.
 
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I was always hung up on the Sex and the City main character not seeming like a very talented writer to be making a living at it living in her own apartment. It suspended belief too much.
 
I loved (and still love) “Friends” but was ‘with it’ enough to know how implausible the premise was.
 
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