Porcelain Butterflies and their enemies. Polish anti-pro-ana movement ... скачать в хорошем качестве

Porcelain Butterflies and their enemies. Polish anti-pro-ana movement ...

Porcelain Butterflies and their enemies. Polish anti-pro-ana movement as an example of a cyber self-help loop - Magdalena Kamińska, Institute of Cultural Studies, University in Poznań, Poland The pro-ana circles, that is, those which promote anorexia as a style of life has been thoroughly described, both scientifically and by means of publications. In the first decade of the 21st century, they were widely criticized and a discussion on internet censorship began anew. For that reason, pro-ana gradually went under the surface of the common web, and, unintentionally, the role of a promoter of the movement in the cultural mainstream was assumed by anti-pro-ana cyber circles. Widely supported and promoted, they make it possible to make the first contact with pro-ana, whilst the people involved deeper in the movement conceal in hidden, elite circles, which function as a field for internal rivalry within the group and a forum for sharing tips which enable to keep eating disorders secret from the others. In this manner, those who identify themselves with pro-ana avoid both the unwanted interest of people around them, as well as the inquisitiveness of publicists, a flood of wannarexics, as well as the unwanted help offered by the representatives of anti-pro-ana. Anti-pro-ana circles, unlike a therapeutical and e-medical offer, base on the activities of a bottom-up nature. Their representatives, moved by the media reports warning about pro-ana, attempt, through the Internet, to reach anorectics or potential anorectics and then cure them or protect from the illness. The methods they use are amateur, like those of a healer, which mainly involve a common sense persuasion and “home” marketing. In this manner, the self-help loop, which is typical of cyber culture, is created, whose main beneficiaries are those who are helping. However, it does not translate into a real effectiveness of their actions. Moreover, in certain cases, it results in a deterioration of the situation of those whom they try to help. In the case of pro-ana circles, the danger mainly involves the fact that anorectics share their ideas how to conceal their eating disorders, which may delay a therapeutic intervention. However, the unprofessional prevention offered by anti-pro-ana also seems to be socially harmful, mainly for the reason that it assumes an initiating role. The ethical aspect of that practice, which seems to be a form of rationalization of masochism per proxy, also should be taken into consideration.