In the local paper today, I read this entire article about this building pro-anorexia, pro-bulimic cult that seems to be building among some of the Web culture out there.
Girls are going to these websites and following their creeds and principles almost to the point where it becomes a religion to them, where a girl of fiction, Ana, acts as a guide to all things that have to do with dieting and exercise. They become proud of their disease, and strive to become like famous actresses who sometimes look like nothing more than skin and bones. In fact, some web sites have even been found selling red bracelets as a means of showing pride for their anorexic behavior, and to the even worse extreme, have displayed means of rituals and hexes to be places against tresspassers in the the name of their anorexic deity.
Now, I am not anorexic nor bulimic. I am not terribly overweight or thin, but that still doesn't keep me from trying to maintain a healthy diet and schedule of exercise. If I fail, I only try harder to achieve what I set out to do, by working harder. I have read many stories about anorexia, and am shocked by it every time. I could never do such a thing myself, and at the same time, have never wanted to. It is beyond my understanding, and it saddens me to think that the media culture has warped the ideals of young girls (and others) this much.
These are merely my opinions, but I would like to know what you all think about the issue to any length. Please try to offer some constructive criticism, and I will also try to respond to comments directed toward me when I can.