The Cost of a Good Story… What We Lose When Entertainment Ignores Ethics
Question to consider:
What responsibility do storytellers have for the impact of the narratives they create?
Stories have always been more than just entertainment. They are how we understand ourselves, how cultures are passed down, how values take root, how we communicate with one another, and how identities are shaped. The books we read, the shows we binge, the films we watch on repeat — they don’t just fill time.
They influence what we believe is normal, acceptable, even aspirational. And that’s why the way stories are told (and the ethics behind them) matters more than we often admit… or even realize.
When Shock Value Replaces Substance
In an era of streaming platforms being at the head of the race, social media virality, and endless competition for attention, “shock value” often takes precedence over meaningful storytelling.
Controversial plot twists, gratuitous trauma, or exaggerated caricatures of real struggles can pull viewers in, but they rarely leave us with deeper understanding. The problem is not that stories explore dark or uncomfortable themes, it’s when those themes are used carelessly, without regard for truth or nuance, especially when marketed towards the younger, and more vulnerable generation.
When trauma becomes spectacle, or pain is glorified for the sake of drama, the result isn’t just hollow storytelling. It risks normalizing harm, trivializing real experiences, and reinforcing stereotypes that audiences often carry into the real world.
Common Patterns We See Too Often
We don’t have to look far to see troubling trends in storytelling today:
Glorifying trauma instead of honoring resilience
Romanticizing abuse as passion or destiny
Tokenism that reduces diversity to a checkbox rather than a meaningful presence
Flattening marginalized identities into stereotypes or plot devices rather than complex, human characters
Over sexualization, especially in depictions of characters that are underage
Individually, these might seem like somewhat creative choices. Collectively, they form a pattern of storytelling that shapes how society perceives entire groups of people, how we define “love,” or how we respond to suffering.
Why Ethics in Storytelling Matters
The phrase “creative freedom” is often used as a shield, as if art loses its power when it’s bound to responsibility. But the truth is, freedom and responsibility are not opposites — they are partners. To tell a story is to wield influence, and ignoring that reality doesn’t make it disappear.
Creators have a responsibility to ask: Who is impacted by the way I tell this story? Studios have a responsibility to prioritize more than profits or trends. Audiences have a responsibility to demand better and question what they consume.
Change isn’t about censorship; it’s about accountability and recognizing that stories carry real-world weight.
A Shared Responsibility
We lose something when entertainment ignores ethics: trust in the storyteller, faith in the industry, and most importantly, the opportunity for stories to help us grow rather than regress.
But we also gain something powerful when we hold stories accountable: narratives that inspire, challenge, and heal. Stories that still take risks, but do so with purpose. Stories that remind us not just who we are, but who we can become.
So let me ask you: Have you ever loved a story but felt conflicted about how it portrayed certain themes or characters? What was that tension like for you as a viewer?
