Cognitive Dissonance theory is a ‘distressing mental state that people feel when they find themselves doing things that don’t fit into their moral or opinions’. The tension of dissonance motivates the person to act against their beliefs or opinions in an effort to avoid a feeling of distress.
An example of this in media would be 50 cent in the movie Get Rich or Die Trying. From an early age he knows that drugs are harmful and can ruin life’s, however when he is caught between a life of near poverty and gang violence he decides to sell cocaine and other drugs to make ends meet. Although he never indulges into doing the drugs, the idea of selling them goes against his morals and beliefs.
