The 'human-beast' trend in Russia: sport or... mental illness?

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The "quadruped" trend originated from Japanese athlete Kenichi Ito, famous for his fast running and strange appearance.

Quadrobics (from the Latin quattuor - "four" and the English word aerobic) is becoming popular among children aged 7 - 14 years.

First of all, this action resembles a kind of sports entertainment. People play the role of some animal - wear a mask, attach an artificial tail, walk on all fours, wear a collar around their neck, imitating the movements of the animal.

The survey showed that 18% of Russian respondents associated the popularity of quadrobics with difficulties in leisure among children and adolescents, often considered the result of laziness and too much free time in children.

4% said there was a lack of accessible leisure activities, such as free clubs and sports facilities.

10% of respondents considered quadrobics to be stupid, a manifestation of a child's mental problem, a rebellion or a way to escape reality.

More than 30% of Russians surveyed believe that the practice of "animalism" by children and teenagers is a negative socio-cultural influence.

As for the reasons for the passion for "fake animals", 32% of respondents cited poor education and upbringing, of which 16% pointed out problems in the family and lack of attention from adults, 8% - lack of education, 3% - indulgence and lack of punishment.

The third most common opinion was that children and teenagers are interested in quadrobics due to age characteristics (25%).

Quadrossiy cannot yet be called a subculture, says Alexandra Bugaeva, a child psychologist and specialist at the psychotherapy service Alter.

The expert notes that representatives of the subculture are characterized by certain norms and values, and quadrobic is rather a kind of hobby of children and adolescents.

This activity combines attention seeking and physical activity, she says, and should raise alarm bells if a child becomes completely absorbed in the hobby and loses track of time.

Doctor of psychological sciences , associate professor at the Medical University Svetlana Grishaeva is sure that if it were just physical activity and keeping children from sitting in front of the computer, quadrobics would not cause so many doubts. Quadrobics causes concerns when groups are formed to perform various tasks.

Ms. Grishaeva warns that when this hobby crosses the boundaries, when the child sees himself as an animal, adopts aggressive forms of animal activity, this not only leads to physical injury to himself and those around him, but also damages the child's fragile psyche.

If the child stays in the animal's skin for a long time, the process of "dehumanization" can begin.

According to experts, such behavior not only destroys normal socialization processes but also creates risks for children's mental health, affecting their perception of the world around them and their relationships with society.

The issue of regulating or banning quadrocopters is widely discussed in the Russian Parliament. In September, Senator Natalia Kosikhina proposed banning the practice of quadrocopters.

In October, Deputy Chairwoman of the State Duma Education Committee Yana Lantratova announced the development of a bill "banning the propaganda of destructive ideology, including quadrobic".

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/trao-luu-nguoi-gia-thu-o-nga-the-thao-hay-la-tam-than-20241016182405894.htm