Terms such as 'microaggression,' describing an inadvertent act of offense, have entered the college lexicon, empowering an atmosphere of prior restraint on speech. And many colleges are also disinviting speakers in fear of offending certain elements of their student communities.
Trigger warnings are an instantiation of the West's zeitgeist of perpetual offense and victimhood that defines much of public discourse.
Good grief, we're getting offended by everything these days! People can't say anything without offending somebody.
At the drop of a hat, people have begun to take offence. You can't write, paint, make films without worrying about some faction or other whose 'sentiments' will be hurt!
A word to those of you out there who have yet to be offended by something I have said: Please be patient. I am working as fast as I can.
Something will be offensive to someone in every book, so you've got to fight it.
Prohibiting any words not approved of as 'politically correct' - that's not progressive. Putting 'trigger warnings' on books, movies, music, anything that might offend people - that's not progressive, either.
Trigger warnings are part of the West's debauchery of self-indulgent victimhood.
This epidemic of student demands for 'safe places' to protect against threatening words and ideas would make a great science fiction film, but unbelievably, events seem to be outpacing the political imagination.
There are justifiable case-by-case situations wherein an educator might exhibit targeted sensitivity to a student's unique circumstances. This is humane and laudable. In most instances though, trigger warnings are not a manifestation of justified empathy but are symptomatic of an ailing culture.
Trigger warnings and safe spaces are an infantilizing setback for feminism - and for women.
I delight in offending people. I think the grievance brigade, victimhood, the idea that hurt feelings are some kind of special currency - I think that needs to come to an end.
Do I think that, when we're teaching a book at school, should we go through a myriad list of trigger warnings? No. But I understand why people desire it.
A lot of people are bored of all the political correctness.
