# Trigger warnings in college, cuz it's scawy. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 13, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452 "2015-06-13T19:17:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/1 "2015-06-13T19:17:22Z")
_sigh_ Here is something to orient you to this topic…The fourth paragraph is particularly jaw-dropping: > **[Opinion | In College and Hiding From Scary Ideas (Published 2015)](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/opinion/sunday/judith-shulevitz-hiding-from-scary-ideas.html?_r=0)** > > Universities, rather than being forums for free expression, are encouraging “safe spaces” to protect delicate sensibilities. And more: > **[Snowflake Students: "We're Too Fragile To Be Educated!"](https://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2015/05/13/snowflake-students-were-too-fragile-to-be-educated/)** > > I'm out of here for the day -- back to transcribing my book -- but wanted to leave this here because it's just horrific. Indoctrinating professors aside, Face palm, bang head on desk, deeply sigh again and again, and pour another strong drink. :smack: I hope my campus never bows to this newfangled touchy-feely business. As a teacher, I would hate to have to put trigger warnings in every syllabus and watch every word I say, or worry about every film I show and every story or article I assign. Who told these students that college was supposed to be a comfort zone? How can they get through a history class if the prof starts teaching about the holocaust, slavery, war or other matters that might make them feel icky-poo? Hell, in \*high school \*history class, we watched the film _Night and Fog_, which, if I remember correctly, showed footage of emaciated concentration camp corpses being shoveled or bulldozed into mass graves. None of us walked out and nobody complained to the principal or their parents about it, AFAIK. I don’t mean to diminish those who have real psychological or emotional damage from past events; but at the same time, you’re not going to feel safe all the time here on planet Earth, and nobody has a Constitutional right to go through life without ever being bothered or upset. Have you heard about this phenomenon? Do you think I’m off-course here? Please check in and provide your comments. In the meantime, I’m going to curl up in a fetal position and suck my thumb, because the articles I linked to are really getting under my skin, and I just can’t deal. :rolleyes: :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/2 "2015-06-13T19:32:54Z")
The latest bullshit pop psychology for the Pampered Generation. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/3 "2015-06-13T21:38:39Z")
OK, on the other hand, and playing Devil’s Advocate sort of thing: I am not a rape survivor (nor have I had any other sort of trauma from the reminder of which I feel I need protection). But I can see how some people who have survived some traumatic experiences might have a tendency to re-live that trauma if presented with such a discussion _without warning_. And that’s as far as I’m willing to go. Life is tough, and it will never be endurable if one doesn’t build up some kind of tough outer layer to absorb most of the blows. Also, from my first paragraph, I suggest that people who find themselves in that position need more and/or better therapy. Of course, I also recognize that this is often not available for a large variety of reasons. eta: I wonder if this sort of thing might be included under the rubric of “political correctness” which some people find so annoying. If so, and as with most such issues, it is definitely a matter of degree. Finding the sweet spot is always difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/4 "2015-06-13T21:43:47Z")
“I was feeling bombarded by a lot of viewpoints that really go against my dearly and closely held beliefs,” Ms. Hall said. Isn’t that what college is _for_!? ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/5 "2015-06-13T22:38:28Z")
I wonder if this is connected to the way the American college life is structured. It’s my impression (correct me if I’m wrong; I’ve only ever been to one US college) that many of them are very self-contained, very enclosed: people live on campus, socialise on campus, work on campus, hang out with only people from college. College can easily become your whole world. I think it would be easy for that kind of setup to encourage a mindset where you think you can, or should be able to, control absolutely everything that you’re exposed to. Over here (Ireland) it’s totally different. To take an example, Trinity College is smack bang in the middle of Dublin; only a handful of students live on campus - most live at least a couple of miles away, in a totally different part of town, and often sharing a house/flat with non-students; you’re likely to eat meals and go for coffee and go for pints and have your part-time job outside the campus, with non-college people next to you; you’re likely to hang out with non-Trinity friends on a regular basis, especially if you’re from Dublin. In that kind of context, I think it would be much harder for the idea to enter your mind that you should be able to control every concept that enters your world. This may be bullshit, I don’t know. Just something that occurred to me. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/6 "2015-06-13T22:50:17Z")
When I was in college over 10 years ago, one of my classes screened a film that included a particularly disturbing rape scene. The professor let us know about the content ahead of time, and offered an alternative to any students who preferred not to view that particular scene. It’s not new, and it’s basic common sense. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/7 "2015-06-13T23:07:27Z")
Didn’t we _just_ do this, like, a couple of weeks ago? ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/8 "2015-06-13T23:09:39Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > When I was in college over 10 years ago, one of my classes screened a film that included a particularly disturbing rape scene. The professor let us know about the content ahead of time, and offered an alternative to any students who preferred not to view that particular scene. > > It’s not new, and it’s basic common sense. But these are adult students; not high schoolers. We all have to grow up and be strong rational enough to face the realities of the world. If a college student cant handle a film maybe that student wasnt meant for college. ---
**Author:** ![JVDaly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@JVDaly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JVDaly)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/9 "2015-06-13T23:11:36Z")
Just wondering, how would anyone who is pro “Trigger Warning” feel if students started demanding trigger warnings on things which they _really_ should be ok with? Should books like, say, ‘The Buddha of Suburbia’ come with disclaimers like “Warning: Contains mentions of homosexuality and homosexual lifestyles” to make sure that conservative Christian and Muslim students felt comfortable? ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/10 "2015-06-13T23:20:28Z")
I feel as though the trigger room full of Play-Do and puppy videos must have been set up sarcastically. I mean, seriously. How can someone looking for help to de-stress from a traumatic memory not feel condescended to when handed a can of Play-Do? Frankly, I think the idea of trigger warnings , except in theraputic situations (say, on a rape survivor message board), are pointless. You might get a warning in your English class, but you’re not going to get a warning that SVU might be playing in the lounge, or that a conversation about feminism might stray into trigger territory in the cafeteria. It’s going to catch up to you eventually, if you don’t find a way to deal with it. But if college professors feel better warning people, I suppose it’s their prerogative. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/11 "2015-06-13T23:29:02Z")
As with everything, there’s a line. I don’t think it does any harm to warn people that they’re about to watch or read about graphic violence. I don’t think this is a new concept, either. Before a unit on evolution, my class was warned that we were about to hear some things that might not coincide with our faith. Then there was the college biology class that set aside a day to discuss reconciling science and faith. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/12 "2015-06-13T23:36:43Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Didn’t we _just_ do this, like, a couple of weeks ago? Why did you have to remind me, you heartless monster! :: curls into ball, weeps :: ---
**Author:** ![JVDaly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@JVDaly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JVDaly)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2015, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/13 "2015-06-13T23:50:16Z")
> [@Small Hen](#): > > I feel as though the trigger room full of Play-Do and puppy videos must have been set up sarcastically. I mean, seriously. How can someone looking for help to de-stress from a traumatic memory not feel condescended to when handed a can of Play-Do? I get very severe panic attacks on a regular basis, and the idea of a special room being set up at an event just to help me handle a potential freak-out is so degrading that it would put me off going altogether. I mean, what if I had a panic attack and decided to use it? I’d never live it down! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/14 "2015-06-14T00:23:23Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Didn’t we _just_ do this, like, a couple of weeks ago? I’m sure we did, too, and I even did a search, but came up with nada. Not that the search function here is any good… ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/15 "2015-06-14T00:42:50Z")
It came up in [March](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751996). A scan of the first page of google shows that people here have been discussing trigger warnings or using them since 2001. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/16 "2015-06-14T00:54:51Z")
> [@Omega\_Glory](#): > > As with everything, there’s a line. I don’t think it does any harm to warn people that they’re about to watch or read about graphic violence. I don’t think this is a new concept, either. Before a unit on evolution, my class was warned that we were about to hear some things that might not coincide with our faith. Then there was the college biology class that set aside a day to discuss reconciling science and faith. Im fine with warnings; it was the… > [@](#): > > and offered an alternative to any students who preferred not to view that particular scene. that I disagree with. College students shouldnt be allowed to shy away from legitimate course material. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/17 "2015-06-14T02:03:31Z")
I have to ask: How do students ever get through medical school? Isn’t medical school all about blood, organs, images of injuries, gruesome surgical operations, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/18 "2015-06-14T02:18:34Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > I hope my campus never bows to this newfangled touchy-feely business. As a teacher, I would hate to have to put trigger warnings in every syllabus and watch every word I say, or worry about every film I show and every story or article I assign. Don’t worry. Someone’s [already written the trigger warnings for you.](https://theblogthatwasthursday.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/some-helpful-trigger-warnings/) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/19 "2015-06-14T02:42:02Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#): > > I feel as though the trigger room full of Play-Do and puppy videos must have been set up sarcastically. I mean, seriously. How can someone looking for help to de-stress from a traumatic memory not feel condescended to when handed a can of Play-Do? You don’t have to use the Play-Doh, just take off the lid and inhale. It has a very distinctive aroma. One whiff and you’re seven years old again. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452/20 "2015-06-14T02:49:06Z")
> [@JVDaly](#): > > I get very severe panic attacks on a regular basis, and the idea of a special room being set up at an event just to help me handle a potential freak-out is so degrading that it would put me off going altogether. I mean, what if I had a panic attack and decided to use it? I’d never live it down! If Play-Doh was one of your triggers you’d be well and truly fucked. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trigger-warnings-in-college-cuz-its-scawy/722452.md?page=2)