On "Seeking Thinspiration" -- aka Gabriel being an insensitive bastard
At least once a year there is a news story about the proliferation of Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia (pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia) websites/facebook groups/general online presence. For the record, I've taken psych classes that have spent some time on the eating disorders, I've looked at the social statistics behind them, I've even read about/discussed pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia as being functionally similar to a religion. However, I seem to have a problem:
I have a hard time caring that fucking much.
Yes, it's a harmful thing. Yes it's a clear case of media-influenced negative body images generated in the minds of youths (predominantly white girls from affluent backgrounds -- GASP, oh no, not the WHITE GIRLS! Help them!).
I don't have statistics on this, but I wouldn't be surprised if we spend more on trying to solve eating disorders than we do on hunger and homelessness in the US, or possibly a significant chunk of what we spend on hunger relief in the whole world. Starvation and malnutrition are eating disorders that I care a hell of a lot more about than Ana and Mia.
My solution to Ana? Eat a fucking cheeseburger and get over yourself.
My solution to Mia? Some psychotherapy, or possibly a smack upside the head.
My solution to both? How about some parents that actually teach their kids something about nutrition, healthy body image, and even do a little moderating and debriefing concerning the kind of hyper-consumerist impossible-image media their kids are getting fed on a daily basis. Holy Purge-diet, Batman -- Parents acting like parents? It's so crazy it just might work. Matter of fact, this same idea might just help the obesity epidemic as well -- a healthy happy medium?
While I'm on this little soapbox, lemmie send a shout out to Mom, who did manage to do a pretty damn good job of teaching about nutrition and seeing media for the sandblasted illusion that it is (entertainment that's not realistic? Gasp).
Basically, to sum it all up, if I consider all the social problems that really deserve significant social attention and funding, eating disorders are pretty low on the list. Insensitive? Maybe. Does it need some attention? Yes, but a ton of it, like so many issues, could be solved or significantly reduced by parents acting like parents and working to educate and prepare their kids for real life. I suspect (again, without the statistical dataset to back it up) that the parental education and income levels for suffers of "Ana and Mia" is way above the median -- if they managed to make some time for being parents, I think this problem could be cut down very quickly.
BBC News -- Seeking Thinspiration
I have a hard time caring that fucking much.
Yes, it's a harmful thing. Yes it's a clear case of media-influenced negative body images generated in the minds of youths (predominantly white girls from affluent backgrounds -- GASP, oh no, not the WHITE GIRLS! Help them!).
I don't have statistics on this, but I wouldn't be surprised if we spend more on trying to solve eating disorders than we do on hunger and homelessness in the US, or possibly a significant chunk of what we spend on hunger relief in the whole world. Starvation and malnutrition are eating disorders that I care a hell of a lot more about than Ana and Mia.
My solution to Ana? Eat a fucking cheeseburger and get over yourself.
My solution to Mia? Some psychotherapy, or possibly a smack upside the head.
My solution to both? How about some parents that actually teach their kids something about nutrition, healthy body image, and even do a little moderating and debriefing concerning the kind of hyper-consumerist impossible-image media their kids are getting fed on a daily basis. Holy Purge-diet, Batman -- Parents acting like parents? It's so crazy it just might work. Matter of fact, this same idea might just help the obesity epidemic as well -- a healthy happy medium?
While I'm on this little soapbox, lemmie send a shout out to Mom, who did manage to do a pretty damn good job of teaching about nutrition and seeing media for the sandblasted illusion that it is (entertainment that's not realistic? Gasp).
Basically, to sum it all up, if I consider all the social problems that really deserve significant social attention and funding, eating disorders are pretty low on the list. Insensitive? Maybe. Does it need some attention? Yes, but a ton of it, like so many issues, could be solved or significantly reduced by parents acting like parents and working to educate and prepare their kids for real life. I suspect (again, without the statistical dataset to back it up) that the parental education and income levels for suffers of "Ana and Mia" is way above the median -- if they managed to make some time for being parents, I think this problem could be cut down very quickly.
BBC News -- Seeking Thinspiration