What Is Entertaiment?

Entertaiment is a complex form of cultural practice that develops over time and has a seemingly unlimited capacity for remix. The etymology of the word is instructive: enter, from Latin, means “inside”; entertain, to hold or occupy; and ment, from mens, meaning the mind. Entertainment has the potential to both keep people’s attention and offer a sense of insight or intellectual growth, but it also has the potential to be harmful or destructive. This article explores some of these issues.