letter to the editor

Dear Natalie Angier,


Thank you for your inspiring insight into image disorders. I felt that the title was entirely appropriate for the message you were trying to convey to your readers. Mirrors are indeed fascinating and can become an obsession for the vain and image obsessed."Mirrors are like pieces of dreams, their images hyper-real and profoundly fake". I have never found a more agreeable statement. Mirrors project illusion that cause people to become self conscious and insecure. I too believe they project a false and unpleasing image. How Dr. Epley states in your story, its entirely true that we project multiple faces into the mirror each day while still being ourselves. We differ with outfits, times of the day, emotional state, and more. I was shocked when you described how dramatically different a mirror image could display someones head size. Half the size of a normal head is a very significant difference. I myself am in the process of studying image disorders and see a very defined link between your views on self image and eating disorders. If one cannot see their true image, how are they suppose to know how truly flawed or fine they are? We truly do live in a terribly narcissistic society in which mirrors are heavily relied on and can be possibly blamed for poor self esteem and confidence in those who seek approval through them.