My university bio professor said that he was not going to debate anything religious in his class because it was a *science *class. He was also clear that students were free to believe anything they wanted, but for tests, the only correct answers were those from the textbook and lectures.
I really liked that class.
One of my colleagues who taught Earth Science did it that way too.
Yay! These whiny brats aren’t us, they are our children and grandchildren!
IIRC, yes. Saw it last year and it wasn’t that graphic. You see much, much worse in any modern slasher flick. But it was remarkably well done and I suppose it is affecting, if you are still capable of being affected by anything.
Maybe we Boomers are somewhat to blame because we didn’t raise our kids to be as numb as we are.
As one of my nieces would say, “Aunt Kiz, your age is showing” 
In my X-number of years online I’ve either belonged or have moderated several groups dealing with anxiety. The trigger warnings coming with such communities have been staggering at times – in some cases there were enough to warrant closing the community altogether. A good friend of mine runs such a community nowadays and she regularly gets PMs about how anyone posting should use a trigger warning for the tiniest hints of violence “because I’m a fragile emotional flower and I can’t take any mere whisper of any conflict, never mind violence.” My words, obviously, but that’s the gist.
Most of them aren’t college students, btw, but many of them have more serious emotional issues than everyday anxiety. I suggested to my friend for them to leave the group because this particular community isn’t group therapy. Neither is a college classroom.
And yeah,
I’ve also noticed this cognitive dissonance.
If women are supposed to be just as strong as men and not emotionally vulnerable as the old stereotypes they wouldn’t need trigger warnings or safe spaces after a trauma. They’d repress all their feelings, put up a cold exterior, develop a drinking problem, and beat their kids. That’s the manly way of handling stress.
I thought the conventional wisdom for overcoming fear is to expose yourself more to the stimuli so you get acclimated. Trying to hide from it is counter productive.
I’m also under the impression that a lot of PTSD triggers aren’t as straightforward as people make it seem and are often mundane details of the event. So a soldier with PTSD might be able to watch a war movie just fine, but walking down certain streets at a certain time of day might freak him out because it reminds him of the patrol right before an IED went off.
Controlled exposure as a part of therapy is great, but they key word there is “controlled.” I’m pretty sure that most people with PTSD can view disturbing material. What causes extreme reactions is the loss of sense of control that comes with being surprised by them. Without knowing what is coming, they can’t approach it therapeutically.
The other factor, of course, is that people with PTSD need to learn the course material, and that’s going to be hard if they are constantly having reactive episodes. Class generally isn’t the time for therapy. Understanding what is coming up gives people the tools they need to make sure those worlds can stay separate.
I’m sympathetic, because I am pretty sure I experienced a (very mild) case of PTSD after a violent crime. It wasn’t a “trigger” type thing, but the reaction it caused was so completely out of character and completely out of my control that it’s strikes me that this is a very powerful force, and one that’s hard enough to recognize that you can’t expect everyone affected to be tackling it with great treatment methods all of the time.
This was true of one of my teachers, after his experiences in Vietnam. Talking about the war, watching related material, or something of that nature were all tolerable. However, the click from a retractable pen would send him diving over his desk for cover, as it triggered a response to IEDs, traps, and other explosives he had dealt with during the war.
It wasn’t too unlike another friend of mine who returned from Iraq who had similar issues. Movies, games, discussion etc. about war were fine, but certain everyday events, like a car speeding in slower traffic, would throw him off (though he did readjust with time).
I think the SDMB needs a ‘safe space’ forum. Only threads about ponies, and bubbles allowed.
Bubbles POP!:mad:
This. Warnings are warnings to make sure someone is ready for it and can, if necessary, opt out of it. My own personal examples (YMMV) :
I have a friend who has served combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has mild PTSD. He came to see me in a murder mystery play a few months ago. Before the show, I went over to where he was sitting and told him there would be three gunshots in the show. He thanked me for telling him, but added, “I’m at a murder mystery. I sort-of expected that.” So, appreciated, but not necessary, warning.
I have a friend who, before the age of ten, was kidnapped, repeatedly raped, and watched one of her rapists murder someone. I didn’t know any of this when I met her. We gamed together and, at one point, we had a scene in which she was kidnapped from the group. After the scene was over, she had a serious breakdown. I didn’t know why at the time, and wouldn’t know for several more months. Since then, when we game, if there’s something I think might brush against that (and I do try to avoid such things) I’ll let her know in advance and ask her if she’d prefer I alter the game plot. She has told me she appreciates the warning, and because of it, we’ve only once had to alter things in a game.
I guess it’s easier when you know the person involved and have a higher state of empathy for them. You’d go out of your way to make sure your friends aren’t thrown into a situation that would hurt them. Why not do it for others?
Now yes, I know, there’s anecdotal evidence to suggest that there are people who are taking the “I need a trigger warning for everything” road, and that’s annoying. But as for me, I’d rather err on the side of both caution and empathy. YMMV.
Just for a mo’, I thought you were imitating the Hulk SMASH! meme.
At least one institution is taking this matter seriously!
Interesting article on what the message is when you oppose using trigger warnings at EverydayFeminism.
And here’s a recent case regarding a college class featuring graphic novels:
The professor decided not to add a disclaimer:
Well, if I’m teaching biology I don’t do either of those things. If you faith doesn’t allow you to think about evolution, then it doesn’t allow to learn about biology and you shouldn’t be in the class. Or in college either. Get out! I am hard core on these things.
I feel more sympathy for a rape victim, but this is the world and they best learn to live in it.
Fortunately for me, math doesn’t conflict with anybody’s religion, at least AFAIK.
You’re forgetting the Christian doctrine of the Trinity: 3 = 1.
From the article:
“‘If they (had) put a disclaimer on this, we wouldn’t have taken the course,’ Greg Shultz, Tara Shultz’s father, said.”
What the fuck do you mean “we,” asshole?
Unfortunately, helicopter parents of college students are not uncommon.
It’s worth noting that the four graphic novels in question are not controversial. They are Fun Home by Alison Bechdel; Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1 by Brian Vaughan; The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll’s House by Neil Gaiman; and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. These are all mainstream graphic novels.
So either Schultz grew up in a very sheltered environment. Or she hasn’t read a comic book written in the last thirty years and thought she was taking a course on Archie. (Except is she had, she probably would have been shocked to discover Archie has a black girlfriend and knows a gay man.)
