Movies don't make people act a fool. People act a fool because

Hear the bold words of Eazy-E, the voice of Compton and prophet of a generation’s rage, who declared: “Movies don’t make people act a fool. People act a fool because they want to act a fool.” In this utterance lies a truth as sharp as steel, cutting through the excuses of men. He speaks of responsibility—of the will within each soul—and he reminds us that art, music, and cinema may influence, but they do not command. The choice, always, belongs to the heart of the individual.

The meaning of this saying is simple yet profound. Eazy-E rejects the common cry that blames movies or music for violence, chaos, or foolishness. He declares that such behavior springs not from the screen, but from within the person who chooses it. A film may depict cruelty, a song may echo rebellion, but no work of art forces a man’s hand. Foolishness arises from desire, from intent, from the decision of the will. In this way, he strips away the veil of excuse and calls each one to stand accountable for their actions.

The ancients, too, spoke of this. Plato, in his Republic, worried that poets and dramatists might corrupt the youth by their portrayals of vice. Yet even he, in his wisdom, admitted that the soul itself must choose—whether to be guided by reason or overcome by passion. Likewise, Aristotle taught that tragedy on stage purged emotions rather than compelled vice. In the same way, Eazy-E proclaims that movies do not make people act; they only reflect what already lies within the heart. The fault lies not in the art, but in the one who chooses folly.

History itself bears witness. In the early twentieth century, as jazz swept through America, critics condemned it as wicked and corrupting, claiming it would drive young people to sin. Yet many who listened to jazz found joy, creativity, and freedom, while others chose paths of vice. The music was not the cause—it was the human heart that decided. So it has been with rock, with rap, with cinema: art becomes the scapegoat, while the true source of folly is the choice of the one who listens, who acts, who decides.

The lesson here is heroic: we must take ownership of our actions. To blame movies, music, or art is to deny our own power of choice. The wise understand that while art may inspire, it cannot compel. Each of us holds within the freedom to rise or to fall, to act with dignity or to act the fool. And when we accept this truth, we gain the strength to live without excuses, to craft our own destiny.

Practical action follows: examine your life and cast off the habit of blame. Do not say, This song made me angry, or That movie made me violent. Instead say, I chose anger; I chose violence. For in confession of responsibility lies the seed of change. And when you see others blame art for their folly, remind them gently of Eazy-E’s wisdom: foolishness is not imposed, it is embraced. Let each one be accountable, and let each one strive for better.

So let these words endure: “People act a fool because they want to act a fool.” It is a creed of responsibility, a call to maturity, a rebuke to the cowardice of excuses. May we live by it, teaching the young that their choices are their own, and reminding ourselves that greatness and folly alike are born from the heart, not from the screen. And in this truth, may we find both freedom and power—the freedom to cast aside blame, and the power to walk always in wisdom.