IELTS Essay # 92 - Some people believe that to learn the way other cultures live it is better to watch films or video programs. Others believe that it is better to read books and newspapers. To what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements? Give your own opinion and examples.

Essay # 92

Some people believe that to learn the way other cultures live it is better to watch films or video programs. Others believe that it is better to read books and newspapers. To what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements? Give your own opinion and examples.

Knowledge about other cultures can be gained through the media forms of that particular culture, like movies, TV series, or printed media like books and tabloids. I don’t think any one way is better than the other. I think gaining knowledge about other cultures works more appropriately if the people choose to know about them from the medium they like.

Talking about the visual media first, there are people who respond more positively to videos and movies. For example, instead of reading a book about the history of a particular country, some people prefer to watch documentaries regarding the country’s important events. There are many channels like History Channel and National Geographic that usually telecast stories from all around the world. The enactment of a certain cultural practice can be more appealing to watch and register inside our mind, rather than reading a description in a book about it.

On the other hand, print media may be unabridged and may contain all small details about some cultural practice, something which may be omitted in a video about it just for the sake of keeping it interesting. There are many examples of historical events being made into movies, where certain details are omitted owing to the length constraints and the primary requirement of sustaining viewer interest. People who are quintessential, and like to really get into the nitty-gritty of some culture would always prefer to read books or articles regarding that. Also, some people like to read and imagine those situations for themselves, and watching a video would rob them of this satisfaction.

Therefore I conclude by reiterating my point that knowledge about another culture can be obtained through various mediums originating from that country. The means we choose to do that from depends on our inclination towards the method that helps us retain more information, easily.

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