The Fall 2011 issue of T E News posed the question of what is entertainment. The word entertain is derived from the Latin intertenere, which means to “hold inside.” Often, entertainment is used to lighten the mood, although many forms of entertainment may have a serious purpose. Entertainment can be adapted for any scale; it can be as simple as a personal selection of pre-recorded products for an individual, to a banquet or party arranged for two, or to performances and events intended for thousands and even the global audience.
Entertainment is often focused on themes that the brain was evolved to react deeply to. These include murders, backstabbing, and other social dramas which the mind was shaped to understand and perceive.