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posted by cmn32480 on Tuesday September 01 2015, @02:37PM   Printer-friendly
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.


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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Thexalon on Tuesday September 01 2015, @04:23PM

    by Thexalon (636) on Tuesday September 01 2015, @04:23PM (#230873)

    The original idea of "trigger warnings" was to help those with a diagnosed mental illness such as PTSD from having an experience that would "trigger" a mental health episode. This was probably a good move: You don't want somebody in class suddenly screaming about what Father O'Malley did to them when they were an altar boy or what happened during their tour in Iraq.

    The problems are:
    1. The meaning has been expanded to cover things that have no such associations and instead are merely challenging to the listener, and
    2. It puts the responsibility on everybody who may come in contact with the affected person to avoid a particular topic of discussion.

    My general view on the matter: For college classes, appropriate warnings about the material should be made in the course description, and courses with a lot of such warnings should not be required as part of a general course of study (specific majors, though, might reasonably require it: You aren't going to get through a psych/counseling program without discussing rape, because as a counselor you need to be able to handle somebody who comes to you saying they were raped). It's up to the student to choose a course of study that does not focus on those topics - to the best of my knowledge, nobody has gotten into severe PTSD over algorithmic complexity, multivariable calculus, or rhetoric and composition. And outside of class, there's absolutely nothing that can be done that would not be a severe imposition on everybody else's right to free speech.

    Also, some people just aren't cut out for college. Which is fine: The world needs good welders, mechanics, plumbers, store clerks, chefs, and lots of other professions that don't or at least shouldn't require a college degree.

    --
    The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by VLM on Tuesday September 01 2015, @04:48PM

    by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday September 01 2015, @04:48PM (#230887)

    You don't want somebody in class suddenly screaming about what Father O'Malley did to them when they were an altar boy or what happened during their tour in Iraq.

    And that's the tragedy, given a problem lets gin up some engineering solutions, well, in the old days we blew a lot of time, money, and effort on trying to prevent bad stuff and spend money on mental health treatment and at least on paper tried to avoid empire building aggression, but the new solution is we'll continue getting your battle buddies leg blown off in front of you by an IED because daddy warbucks gotta make bank, but the good news is we have a new solution of having people not talk about it in class anymore.

    nobody has gotten into severe PTSD over ... multivariable calculus

    OH I saw a few basket cases by the end of some math weed out classes. And ochem. And intro to programming. And the EE "Ohms law for dummies" first semester I forget the exact name (linear analysis or intro to linear circuits or something)

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Ethanol-fueled on Tuesday September 01 2015, @05:17PM

    by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Tuesday September 01 2015, @05:17PM (#230896) Homepage

    Yes, the creeping expansion of meaning, where things like rules and laws which should not be ambiguous -- however, people see fit to redefine things on the fly in an arbitrary manner.

    Was just in San Francisco having this discussion with some Masshole female in a dive-bar, calmly but jovially explaining why political incorrectness is a necessary evil and the whole P.C. thing is getting out of hand, and that I was horrified how easily people would give up their freedom of speech. Needless to say, she didn't agree with me, and so the conversation escalated without becoming noisy or violent. She then accused me of "assaulting" her, because I had calmly bothered to disagree with her.

    "Unfuckingbelievable," I told her with disgust on my face. At that point I had expected her to run out of the bar yelling "Raaape! Raaape!" But I told her, "You know, assault has a legal definition, so go tell the cops I 'assaulted' you and get into deep shit for not only wasting their time but filing a false police report. Go ahead, I don't give a fuck!" She huffed and puffed and walked out of the bar, leaving me to drink in peace.

    That is how you get rid of chickenshits like that -- call their fucking bluff. And don't let Massholes into your state.

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Hairyfeet on Tuesday September 01 2015, @07:12PM

      by Hairyfeet (75) <{bassbeast1968} {at} {gmail.com}> on Tuesday September 01 2015, @07:12PM (#230946) Journal

      I always point out to those in favor of "political correctness" that it is literally a communist term, it was a term come up with by mainstream communists for how Stalin used to have a ministry to "correct" political mistakes, such as making a person into a non person by erasing them from photos and documents. The truly sad part is to the SJWs? that sounds like a fine idea, just erase those that do not agree with you because freedom of speech to them means being free to support their views and tell them how progressive they are, opposing views shall not be tolerated. For a perfect example look at that "feminist activist" in Canada who pulled the fire alarm on the meeting of a MRM chapter and stood outside with a bullhorn screaming "rapist!" at the top of her lungs. No debate, discussion verbotten, just screams of "ist!" and blocking of free speech of the opposition.

      This is what happens when you raise a bunch of spoiled children with years of Captain Planet style propaganda and first world guilt, then plug them into social media so they can group with like minded spoiled brats, you get "activists" that believe the entire planet should be altered to fit their myopic and frankly racist/sexist viewpoints. Its sad really, but when you play the "SJW or Stormfront" game or go spend an hour on Gamerghazi you see what these people are really like and its not pretty.

      --
      ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 02 2015, @01:19PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 02 2015, @01:19PM (#231245)

        "political correctness" ... is literally a communist term

        Not surprising that it is literally only used by fascist nutjobs pushing FUD. "Political correctness" is nothing but a meaningless scareword just like "communist", "socialist", and "SJW". Please prove me wrong by actually defining it.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @06:36PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @06:36PM (#230932)

    [T]o the best of my knowledge, nobody has gotten into severe PTSD over algorithmic complexity, multivariable calculus, or rhetoric and composition.

    You've never gone through a third semester calc course, have you?

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by frojack on Tuesday September 01 2015, @07:05PM

    by frojack (1554) on Tuesday September 01 2015, @07:05PM (#230944) Journal

    2. It puts the responsibility on everybody who may come in contact with the affected person to avoid a particular topic of discussion.

    And there's the rub. How can "everyone" possibly know who is affected by what particular boogieman?

    The idea that entire fields of discussion should be avoided because some small percentage of people might find it uncomfortable is as silly as the idea that peanuts should be eradicated from the face of the earth because some small percentage of people have a peanut allergy.

    We put warnings on food products, and call it a day.
    Warnings on course descriptions are all that is needed, as you point out.

    But I'd go further. Some discussions of sensitive matters is warranted in general courses of study.

    Rape will be mentioned in normal every day life. Without warnings! Peanuts will be served in Kung Pao chicken. But unlike the restaurant menu, society comes with no warning labels.

    --
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @07:18PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 01 2015, @07:18PM (#230950)

    The original idea of "trigger warnings"

    So the original meaning has expanded? I am not triggered by war footage but I did have a difficult and traumatic time with some of the local black youths when I was growing up. Perhaps these PC phrases should be more specific?

  • (Score: 2) by darkfeline on Thursday September 03 2015, @10:38PM

    by darkfeline (1030) on Thursday September 03 2015, @10:38PM (#232014) Homepage

    >You don't want somebody in class suddenly screaming about what Father O'Malley did to them when they were an altar boy or what happened during their tour in Iraq.

    I actually think that would enhance the learning experience of college by opening an avenue of conversation that would otherwise be ignored. It would be uncomfortable, perhaps, but extremely rewarding for everyone involved.

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