I have been putting this off for a little while, I didn't want to get in a nasty mood after blogging about it, but I saw the Lemony Snicket movie, "A Series of Unfortunate Events". Ick. It made me crabby afterwards. I couldn't believe the adejective selected for the title was "unfortunate". Unfortunate is when they run out of red berry smoothie mix at your favorite coffeehouse. Or when they don't have hummus on the day that you came to eat the hummus sandwich. Or it sprinkles outside on a day that you forgot your umbrella.
In contrast, the events depicted in the movie would led me to switch "unfortunate" with malicious, shockingly horrific, or some other more suitable word. In all actuality, I told my husband who kindly listens to my psychological rants and raves, that this movie title experienced some cognitive reframing.
This is a technique where a thing that is seemingly negative may be ascribed a word that lessens its negativity. Here's an example, a child may appear to be out of control or hyperactive. Cognitive reframing or restructuring can be used to lessen the assumed negativity or stigma of such a title by stating that the child is simply "dramatic". In the situation of this movie, it appeared to me as though the "unfortunate events" were reframed from what would otherwise be highly traumatic experiences. This I believe was an attempt create a more palatable title for the average moviegoer. But alas, this movie was not for me. My husband stated following the flick, "I have never seen anyone with as much empathy for the characters in a moive than you". I decided to take that as a compliment- and as a warning- to watch out for what I see as my empathy continues in life and as I subject myself to the silver screen.
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