In the recent three decades, the majority of the world’s developed countries have been indoctrinated by the mysterious Body Morph Cult, the origins of which have yet to be found by sociologists and anthropologists. Even though a healthy person has a functioning body that walks, climbs up ladders, and even runs daily, many people deem making extra movements necessary to survive. This essay will elaborate on the nature of this new concerning tendency.
The extra movements prescribed by the Body Morph Cult put a strain on the whole body and make the demeanor change resembling that of a sickly person. The symptoms are truly frightening: an individual starts breathing heavily through their mouth, sweat pours down their face, and their limbs are shaking. An average person can spend up to two hours in this uncomfortable state, grunting and consuming transparent liquid from a plastic object with a cap.
Engaging in these activities seems to be addictive: after trying what the Body Morph Cult has to offer, many people start to do extra movements two-three times a week. After completing a series of unnecessary and downright challenging actions, they feel joy and satisfaction, which once again proves the dangerous nature of the Cult.
What is even more disturbing is that the Body Morph Cult seems to require financial investments. Many individuals choose to attend Body Morph temples which are now to be found in every city. To partake in Body Morph rituals, attendants have to pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee. Those of them who are more experienced and are deeper into the Cult go through the routines on their own, alternating between scary-looking equipment pieces made out of metal rods. Others, however, decide to contact Body Morph Cult representatives who build worship groups and instruct them on how to conduct rituals properly.
The atmosphere at such sessions is far from healthy: the members listen to rhythmic music that lulls them into submission, and the representative’s shouts and yells are what break their spirit. It seems like these instructors are skilled in hypnosis since they often count out loud: “One, two, three… done!” The nature of the sessions was predicted by Miner back in 1956 when he claimed that the modern paradigm saw the human body as naturally deficient and in need of improvement (504). Today, the system works flawlessly, and every year more and more people find themselves in the Body Morph Cult.
One may wonder how something so uncanny can become so popular. The answer is straightforward: the cult members’ morbid enthusiasm is infectious. They are taking over social media by posting pictures of themselves in the attire used for the rituals. They make sure to look content and accompany each photo with a caption telling how their life has changed for the better ever since they joined the Cult.
In-person, the members cannot hold themselves back from talking about their new lifestyle. Many of them demonstrate the affected body parts: bulging arm and leg muscles and washboard abs which seem to be the most convincing argument. Their stories raise concerns: they report on “almost dying,” “going out of breath,” and “starving” right after a ritual. Still, all these details do not repel other people who are malleable enough to consider joining.
It is genuinely confusing how something so bizarre can be normalized in our society with such ease. The government and the healthcare system are supporting the Cult even if they are not active members. Authorities make claims about perceived long-term advantages for the future of a nation, and doctors associate regular participation in the rituals with decreased mortality, healthy heart, and lower body mass index. So far, it seems that this trend is here to stay and requires further investigation.
Work Cited
Miner, Horace. “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema.” American Anthropologist, vol. 58, no. 3, 1956, pp. 503-507.