TWILIGHT & VAMPIRISM: Newspaper claims obsession with sexy vampires is destroying U.S. youth
.gif)
It would be difficult to find a child or teenager who wasn't aware of the Twilight Saga and who didn't love reading the books and watching the movie(s), however, one Gainsville newspaper compares the current Twilight mania sweeping the nation to fatal diseases and also claims that it is affecting children and teens to an unhealthy degree. So when does entertainment cross the line from enjoyment into an unhealthy obsession?
The article reads as follows:
There has been an illness spreading across America recently that is more virulent and insidious than mad cow disease, swine flu and monkey pox combined. It’s spreading viraly through emails, blogs, text messages and tweets and infecting countless tweens, teens and young adults. While the disease has not yet proved to be fatal, there is no known cure and the symptoms can be terrifying and painful. The disease I am referring to, of course, is vampirism.
The epicenter of the most recent outbreak can be traced to the vampire-based Twilight book series, which has sold more than 42 million copies and spawned an equally popular movie adaptation. Young people across the country have been seduced by the story of a high school girl’s star-crossed love affair with a 107-year-old vampire and the pasty yet attractive actors who portray them. What’s more troubling than the pedophilic relationship between a 17-year-old girl and a man 90 years her senior, however, is the fact that the popularity of vampire culture is on the rise.
While this kind of fervor has been seen with J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, an interest in witchcraft and wizardry is ultimately harmless as most of the characters in Rowling’s novels are positive role models. The worst that happens is kids spend their allowances on wands, memorize cryptic incantations and start trying to summon dark spirits from the depths of the underworld. In other words, pretty typical kids’ stuff. With this latest trend, however, kids may be inspired to dress in black, dye their hair, start wearing eyeliner – or the sad male alternative, “guyliner” – and avoid the sun, leading to a crippling vitamin D deficiency.
They may also be inclined to mimic vampire behavior by speaking in antiquated Victorian English, drinking exorbitant amounts of Kool-Aid or other red beverages packed with high fructose corn syrup and listening to techno music. Although vampire fashion is unfortunate – and “guyliner” borderline criminal – the real problem with children idolizing these bloodsuckers is that vampires are just creepy jerks.
Some cultures view vampires as pale, gaunt creatures lurking in the shadows, but many Europeans believe they have a bloated, ruddy or purplish appearance, most likely from the combination of decomposition and recently imbibed blood. Imagine how much more authentic but less popular the “Twilight” movie would have been with a puffy, red-faced Meat Loaf as the male lead instead of the dreamy, hollow-cheeked Robert Pattinson. Be advised, parents: Using attractive actors to play these otherwise offensive creatures is just one of the despicable tactics the pro-vampire propaganda machine will use to try and recruit your innocent children.
What they don’t want your impressionable kids to know is that the life of a vampire is anything but glamorous. In addition to resembling a chubby, blushing Larry King, vampires are relegated to a mostly boring existence. Most waking hours are used to quiet the constant hunger pangs caused by a liquid diet, and any free time is likely to be during late-night and early-morning hours, so running errands to the bank and most other businesses is extremely difficult.
Most people also hate vampires. In the Aftican country of Malawi during late 2002 and early 2003, mobs stoned one person to death and injured four others, including Malawi Governor Eric Chiwaya, because they thought the government was working secretly with vampires.
Despite the recent influx of vampire-related content into the mainstream media and the youthful enthusiasm that accompanied it, vampirism still remains a dangerous threat to our nation’s children. Unchecked interest in vampires can lead to unfortunate summer wardrobe choices, rickets and diabetes. We can’t afford to lose our kids to these flashy, sexy, fly-by-night vampire impersonators who continue to fill their heads with untruths about the vampire lifestyle. Do your part and get your kids hooked on something safe like street racing or “sexting” instead.
-
Comment by hellen on June 14, 2009 at 7:07am -
when something is working good someone have to disagree that thing
-
Comment by Kennedy Meriah Cullen on June 14, 2009 at 7:28am -
wow whats next your going to tell us that believe in god is causing cancer or someting i mean come on people this is basically the dumbest thing i have ever heard
-
Comment by Sarai del C. Guevara on June 14, 2009 at 7:35am -
THIS IS SO STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO WHAT LET THEM IT'S THEIR LIVE...
-
Comment by suzy turner on June 14, 2009 at 7:49am -
pssstt...i'm a mom and would much rather have my kids reading and watching anything twilight than watching half the crap reality shows that are on tv now. silly people should find better ways to spend their time!!!
-
Comment by Cynthia P. Camacho on June 14, 2009 at 8:05am -
most kids are wise these days for them to go over board this vampirism. But you forgot one thing, most of us are kinda depressed and TWilight can either push us more into it or could inspire us, if it got us to discuss it with family, well and good, but if it had us running away from reality...maybe these are the reasons for these recent articles against Twilight & vampirism. But for me. Twilight is OK..by the way I'm a mom too
-
Comment by STUPID LAMB :) ! on June 14, 2009 at 8:35am -
These article is complete blasmphemy I mean they would rather kids going out and sexting and street racing then let kids read reading is proven to help kids learn this is going way over board I mean okay you wont let your kids get exited about what true love and just becuase it's about vampires .The vampires in twilight arent even bad I mean sure the volturi and laurent ,victoria and now the dead james, but the cullens are the most nicest people in the whole book there are caring people that care about humans mostly keeping them alive that's why they chose to not drink human blood & to only drink animal blood, twilight is acually if you think about IS INCURAGING KIDS TO READ, people like me who used to not like to read but after reading twilight i now go to the books store and have to find another book because I discovered that reading is fun and one other thing . me personally have not changed my wardrobe i mean sure i wear a little black more often because my twilight stuff but im still the same I still wear bright colors and all but I HAVENT GONE TO THE DARK SIDE ! and i already wore blackeyeliner already not to look evil just to inhance my eyes a bit !this is so stupid !
-
Comment by TwiMom1 on June 14, 2009 at 10:47am -
Wow...how incredibly pathetic...and completely extreme...not once have I heard any of my kids or their friends ever do any of this; become depressed on purpose, drink large quantities of Kool-Aid or other red beverages packed with high fructose corn syrup and listening to techno music (what??)...how stupid...., - and please, street racing???? Yeah, like loving the vampire genre is not as safe as racing down a street at ungodly speeds just beggind to crash and kill someone or themselves...real responsible to suggest that, idiot...and I would love to know the idiot's name and paper that printed this...completely ridiculous and whatever paper printed that needs to have it's editorial staff's heads examined....
-
Comment by ♥MissSoCal♥ on June 14, 2009 at 11:29am -
This is just ridiculous... i could go on for hours arguing about this but im not.... because whoever wrote this was obviously trying to piss off twifans (which i think they accomplished) and it was a joke, not a funny joke but you can tell especially by the last line (get your kids hooked on something safe like street racing or “sexting” instead). and how terrible this persons writing style is.....whoever wrote this get a life please and dont waste your time trying to piss people off.... its pathetic. *** And everyone else dont give them the satisfaction of getting angry and arguing please, thats all they were trying to do and dont let them accomplish it***
-
Comment by Jessica Ziesmer on June 14, 2009 at 12:42pm -
Who ever wrote this is an idiot! Vampire movies have been around for years, some horror filled and some just a story. For example; Lost Boys (the original), how about Interview with a vampire? Both movies used exceptionally attractive vampires like Brad Pitt or the guy that played Michael from the lost boys, whatever.
Some just don't understand that we're not changing anything to be more like the characters from twilight, it's that we've all experienced things from the book before the book has even taken form.
The same analogy's been used before, for the last 50 years. The forbidden love, whether he be a vampire or a badass biker or the other fact none of us girls are sweet little girls anymore and it's so difficult for others to view it.
-
Comment by Vamp Me Please on June 14, 2009 at 1:55pm
-
What backward f****!
First of all this story does not appeal to only teens. I know of many women, like myself who have not been a teenager for AWHILE who are interested and probably catagorized as obsessed. Most of us unlike the author of this article know that this story is a fantasy. I don't think that many have even considered some of the things accused in this article. But, hey, thanks for putting them in everyone's mind. Just like the media to put something in our mind or teach us to do something we wouldn't have otherwise even considered. Look this is a love story and that is what women young and old are interested in. Unfortunately males don't get this and only think of themselves therefore we women have to resort to fantasy to satisfy this need. For me Twilight came along when I most needed it, when at a low point in my life, Divorced, alone and past the teen years this story gave me hope that love was still possible. I wonder if this author has even read the books. I have been a vampire fan for many years, I even dress as one each Halloween but we all know they aren't real. I don't think Stephenie intended anything other than a love story, certainly not the nonsense stated in this article. Leave us alone and worry about your backwoods, closed minded self and let us decide for ourselves what we like and dislike. Man this article ticks me off, glad to get that off my chest. Rock on Twifans!!!
© 2013
Site Created & Designed By:
You need to be a member of TwiFans-Twilight Saga books and Movie Fansite to add comments!
Join TwiFans-Twilight Saga books and Movie Fansite