Why trigger warnings are stupid

I have to ask those supporting this movement if Michelangelo's "David," a great work of art that shows a man wearing less, would be offensive. Where does the sensitivity end? There's far too much negativity put out there under the guise of education.

If a person doesn't want to be in a class where disturbing things are discussed, they have a right to know and opt out. I personally do not want to be in a class or "artistic" arena where there will be depictions of graphic violence or use of profanities and racial slurs. Some professors abuse their academic privilege and use their classes as a captive audience for pushing personal biases.

I took an art class 20 years ago, and the professor badmouthed God and religion and showed "art" that was little more than violent pornography. Believe it or not, a columnist for Slate yes, Slate!

As I noted at the time, this is not only stupid but also potentially harmful to society, because it could result in a percentage of future lawyers with no clue about how to deal with the law surrounding these crimes.

Now, in the past when I had written about trigger warnings, I had limited my critique of them to only those examples that I found to be absurd, nonsensical, or harmful. Now, though, I am ready to take things a step further and say that we should do away with them altogether. After all, if there is any risk that these warnings could further harm the people who are struggling with these issues, and the best-case scenario is that they do nothing at all, then we should do away with them — not for me, but for the sake of the people trigger warnings were supposed to help.

Pixabay Although certainly well-intentioned, trigger warnings have created some pretty ridiculous outcomes. Charles C. Brittany Bernstein. The Editors. The U. You might invite students to take a moment before or after engaging with the content to consider their inner emotional response to the material. A note to remind you to take care of yourself. Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep and taking some time to relax.

This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress. All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. You are not alone. Beyond this, you could also invite students to come up with their own list of self-care strategies at the start of the semester.

Refer back to these lists throughout the semester so students remember to turn to them in times of stress. And of course, make sure to share the information for the campus mental health center, for students who may need more serious help. Providing students with reasonable accommodations is an expected part of teaching.

We provide accommodations for students with physical and learning needs—why not emotional? Become a subscribing member today. Scroll To Top Earlier this fall, incoming students at the University of Chicago received a letter from school administrators.

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