Industry Insights
03 Jan 2026
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Doha Debates explores how entertainment shapes today\'s society
Doha Debates, an initiative of Qatar Foundation, continues its flagship debate series with a new episode exploring how modern entertainment shapes our attention, creativity and daily well-being. Hosted by Dareen Abughaida, this debate brings together three influential thinkers to examine whether today’s entertainment landscape enriches our lives or overwhelms us.
The panel features Marya Bangee (Senior Advisor at Pop Culture Collaborative); Dr. Anna Lembke (Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University and author of Dopamine Nation); and Nicholas Carr (Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The Shallows).
Bangee emphasizes the power of storytelling in entertainment to reflect authentic human experiences and foster empathy. She states: “Entertainment is everywhere today and shapes everyone and society. The question is how we ensure we can shape entertainment in return.”
Lembke contributes a clinical and compassionate perspective, warning that modern entertainment is often designed to overstimulate the brain’s reward pathways. She explains: “Modern entertainment isn’t good for us because it hijacks our brain’s reward system. Now we need ever more intense stimulation just to feel a little pleasure.”
Carr expands the discussion by examining how technology-driven entertainment affects our ability to think deeply and act collectively. He says: “We’ve always assumed having more topics, choices, and information is inherently good. But looking ahead, we must pay close attention to its downsides.”
Young students also shared insightful perspectives. Sara Akbar, a 22-year-old student at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Doha, said: “Between the ages of 16 and 28, everything happening in the world makes us want to escape reality. This profoundly affects how we live—why is it so hard to go even a moment without Instagram?” Ameer Saadi, an 18-year-old student at Georgetown University in Qatar, added: “The responsibility of entertainment isn’t to create better people, but to honestly express certain forms of human experience.”
These diverse voices elevate the debate beyond personal preferences and aesthetic tastes, reflecting Doha Debates’ core values of pursuing truth, open inquiry, and building bridges rather than divisions.
The episode is now available on the Doha Debates website and YouTube channel. Viewers can also access past episodes covering topics such as childhood in the age of social media and the meaning of love today.
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About Doha Debates
Doha Debates brings together intellectually rigorous truth-seekers to constructively engage differences and build a better future. We consistently emphasize unity over division, promoting dialogue that bridges gaps instead of deepening them.
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