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from the this-article-may-trigger-strong-emotions dept.
There is a lot of talk on the net these days about microagressions, and it's good netiquette to post trigger warnings before discussing sensitive topics. What's good in online forums isn't necessarily appropriate in-person, especially on University campuses. The cover article for September's edition of The Atlantic magazine discusses the harm that students' requests for trigger warnings on course content and accusations of microagression are causing, stifling open conversation on campuses across America. The authors also suggest that these student behaviors are actively causing harm to the students.
Avoiding trigger topics, instead of assisting those who have suffered traumas, perpetuates and enhances the pathology of the phobias they hope not to trigger. The hunt for microagression creates in the students cognitive distortions that are usually treated with cognitive behavioral therapy. The authors are calling this "The Coddling of the American Mind", and suggest it will create a generation of graduates unable to cope with the world after graduation.
The authors also appeared on the Diane Rehm show, on a segment called "The New Political Correctness: Why Some Fear It's Ruining American Education". Far from trying to shut down the conversation about race relations, the authors are trying to re-open it.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by dyingtolive on Tuesday September 01 2015, @02:55PM
I've always been a strong believer in that we could all benefit from being made just a little more uncomfortable and offended than we are currently. For any value of 'currently'.
Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!
(Score: 2) by AnonymousCowardNoMore on Tuesday September 01 2015, @03:28PM
For any value of 'currently'.
Some people are currently, for example, being raped. Or living with the after-effects. I could not claim to understand fully but am convinced they don't need to be more uncomfortable nor offended. I like your sentiment but there is always a limit.
(Score: 3, Touché) by acp_sn on Tuesday September 01 2015, @03:35PM
Assaulting someone is not the same as offending someone.
Your willingness to use this hyperbole shows a lack of respect for actual victims of assault.
(Score: 2) by AnonymousCowardNoMore on Tuesday September 01 2015, @03:47PM
Assault is not the same as mere offense. But it is still offensive and it is still uncomfortable.
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @06:06PM
So then you are a bit offended and a bit uncomfortable... So what?
Where does it say you should never be in any of these states? Grow up for goodness sake
(Score: 2) by mojo chan on Wednesday September 02 2015, @07:30AM
Speaking of false equivalence, look at TFA. It goes from "students request trigger warnings" to "avoiding trigger topics". Clearly if they are requesting trigger warnings they want to discuss those things, so it really makes no sense to then assume that those topics are off limits.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Immerman on Thursday September 03 2015, @02:24AM
Not having read TFA I'm inclined to agree, though I could easily see the sentiment being over-exerted as others are suggesting. Trigger warnings seem to me a courteous thing to do so that, if nothing else, people have a chance to emotionally brace themselves. Not unlike warning folks before showing surgery or other gory pictures that may trigger vomiting, fainting, etc. Perhaps though there could be benefit to not specifying *what* potential triggers are about to be displayed...
"What we're about to show/discuss/etc. may make some of you uncomfortable. If you are unusually sensitive you may want to brace yourself. [commence discussing topic]"
Sufferers could then get lots of practice bracing themselves, even though most of the time it would be for topics that wouldn't actually trigger them. Of course the question remains as to just how uncommon of a trigger we should be considerate of, I mean I vote against warning the fellow who's deathly afraid of butterflies, but that's a topic for another time.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by sjames on Tuesday September 01 2015, @03:52PM
On the other hand, it the subject cannot be mentioned in a general educational environment without the prof. getting fired, how will we educate the psychologists, medical personnel and councilors needed to help people after rape?
(Score: 2) by AnonymousCowardNoMore on Tuesday September 01 2015, @04:03PM
I wholeheartedly agree. I was merely pointing out—with an extreme example—that there must exist a point where you are so extremely uncomfortable that discomfort is no longer a good thing.
But then I suspect we all know that the "I'm offended" crowd doesn't actually exist to help victims.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by VLM on Tuesday September 01 2015, @04:39PM
And, note the demographics of the supposed offenders are as predictable as the offendees.
Its basically a witch hunt. The Salem witch hunts ended up being run against old women, and weaponized microaggressions exist to be used against white men, different target but same outlook and goal. Sorta a leftie version of the McCarthy hearings.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by jmorris on Wednesday September 02 2015, @12:57AM
It is worse already. There are already cases of law schools that can't teach about the laws regarding rape because it might trigger a student. Future lawyers won't know what to do, good luck if you are accused of rape and need a defense lawyer. Of course the prosecutor will be equally clueless in the future so it might balance out... but of course none of that will matter because we are already at the point where the accusation is all that counts, especially on a campus.
And how about studying immigration law when the U.S. Code itself is outlawed in the classroom? You not only can't say 'illegal alien' but many schools now ban even the word 'alien' yet the code doesn't, it speaks of both resident and illegal ones.
But it isn't about hypersensitivity at all, that is simply the excuse; claim victim status and end the argument. These are SJWs and what do SJWs do? Everybody all together:
"THEY LIE!"
It is about one side wrapping the victim flag around themselves and doing the classic "Shut up, he explained." move. Try claiming to be triggered as member of an out of favor group and see how far you get. Try claiming that as a Jew you are kinda offended and triggered by the local Muslim Brotherhood gang with their Hitler related signs at the rallies. (Google it, yup they do that. Nobody sez nothin' lest they get expelled for Islamophobia.) Tell the administration the fat lesbian who screams in your face about patriarchy and other incomprehensible crap is a bit rude and if she keeps it up you just might have to take offense at it.... and unless you are black or homosexual you will get expelled for using a gendered pronoun. It is just politics and It only works in one direction, always toward the left.
(Score: 2) by kurenai.tsubasa on Tuesday September 01 2015, @05:10PM
am convinced they don't need to be more uncomfortable nor offended
They should get professional help, especially if it's a man. Men too often try to bottle traumatic experiences up or cover them up with substance abuse when they need to reach out for help. My usual recommendation is to seek a psychologist who practices ACT, which is an effective technique for dealing with phobias and triggers. In fact, managing triggers is one of the central strategies of ACT.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by ikanreed on Tuesday September 01 2015, @03:30PM
And that's fine for a belief. But as something you want to be the default, you need to bring rigorous evidence to the table. There's medical evidence of the comparable harm of immersion therapy(unexpected uncontrolled exposure) compared to exposure therapy.
We can certainly talk about trying to turn treatment pathways into policy, and the problems that presents, but if you're going to overturn current medical science, you need to have evidence, not just firm belief.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 02 2015, @07:11AM
Fuck you.
(Score: 2) by dyingtolive on Wednesday September 02 2015, @10:40AM
Thank you.
Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!