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comment by goo
goo  ·  3447 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Should Literature be "triggering"?

While I agree it's important to overcome triggers, these things do take time. Seeing a therapist does not magically make it all better. Some people (I like to think myself) have the gift of moving on; others, not so much, and need a little more time to work through it at their own pace. Encourage, but do not force.

Perhaps the world could be described as a little more forgiving if we made the effort to accommodate the struggles others face!





TheVenerableCain  ·  3447 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It's hard to achieve that balance. I certainly agree with what you're saying, but I think that we're shifting into the realm of pandering to every little thing that makes people feel weird inside and it takes away from those that have actual issues. I think that it's important to be challenged - to feel that weird feeling of being uncomfortable at little things if people can hope to be able to overcome real traumatic situations.

That said, the professor in the article should've given the option, like yours did, to say "no thanks" and do an alternate assignment. No reason to force someone to relive that experience. I'd be interested to read more on the subject; I don't personally understand how someone reads something and it affects them so much. I understand that it does but I don't know how/why. I'm not very empathetic and I've never had anything like that happen, so it's a foreign concept to me.

Edit - I guess it doesn't really matter. kingmudsy explained it like a boss.

lifestyled  ·  3447 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    I think that we're shifting into the realm of pandering to every little thing that makes people feel weird inside and it takes away from those that have actual issues.

I'd like to know what leads you to believe this. If we were really shifting into "the realm of pandering to every little thing that makes people feel weird inside" then how would shows like Modern Family be possible considering how many people have very strong hate against homosexuality? How did same-sex marriage become legal in the entire country? How does Miley Cyrus have a career at all?

I mean, don't get me wrong, I used to think this was definitely happening, back when I was a regular on /r/TumblrInAction. But people have been claiming for decades that "the PC police is ruining the world" yet we've had a golden age of television during that time with shows like Seinfeld, Breaking Bad, The Wire, and Game of Thrones.

cgod  ·  3447 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I think that things are getting a little too PC when one of the three great Latin poets, born before Jesus Christ is too saucy for the children.

First they came for Ovid, Horace and Virgil better watch their backs.

lifestyled  ·  3446 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I mean, you know there was a time where you could get beaten with a ruler for having your knees show, right? Or where saying anything that could be remotely perceived as sympathetic to communism could make you unemployable and publicly shamed?

I'd say that, as far as PC goes, we've come a long way towards letting people be open.

Besides, if you really want to talk about PC gone wild, maybe you should be focusing on Texas' schoolbooks rewriting history by excluding Jim Crow laws, instead of a teacher giving students the ability to read something different for their class.

TheVenerableCain  ·  3447 days ago  ·  link  ·  

As far as I can tell, the majority of folks have a neutral or positive view of homosexuality. That would explain why there are more and more shows involving same-sex relationships or situations. These companies like Netflix have metrics on metrics about what their viewers would have a positive reaction toward.

I don't know enough about the legislative process surrounding the legalization of same-sex marriage to comment on that one, but I can only imagine that the many pro-gay-marriage groups pressuring politicians and a shift in public opinion contributed to that. Pure speculation though.

I didn't know Miley Cyrus had a career. I think you're being facetious, but there are at least one or two even more ridiculous things going on in the world. I have no idea how the hell she would have a career though.

The things that really get me are when kids in elementary school are expelled and shit for drawing a gun or making a poptart pistol. I think "POC" is just a veil to hide behind. Just say "X" people. To me, people of color sounds more racist than PC. I don't believe that we need to say stuff like "cerebrally challenged" or "doorperson" instead of doorman/doorwoman(if that's a thing). It's obnoxious. If the person I'm talking to can't figure out what I mean, then they can ask, but I loathe when someone tells me in that snarky, holier-than-thou tone to use the PC term.

I honestly believe that if we stop giving special little groups for everything, that we'll become a more homogeneous society. Everyone wants to be a special butterfly, but we're forgetting that we're all just humans. I'm tall as hell (6'5"/198.12cm) but I don't need someone to call me vertically advantaged. I'm not very empathetic, but I don't want someone to call me emotionally challenged or whatever the hell you'd call it. I have varying aspects of my being just like any other person. I don't need or want to be placed in a special category besides "human being." Bam. Give me my rights. Treat me like everyone else. Give me a fair go. I think that's what everyone else really wants (maybe not the "no special category" thing, but the rights and whatnot.) Why it's not that way, I'm really not sure.

I feel ramble-y and I'm losing focus. Let me know if you want me to expound on any of what I said, or if I've presented an incorrect fact.

lifestyled  ·  3446 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    The things that really get me are when kids in elementary school are expelled and shit for drawing a gun or making a poptart pistol.

This part really sticks out to me, because the "pop tart pistol" you're referencing is a clear case of people accepting what they're told second hand rather than looking into the issue themselves.

That kid wasn't expelled for his pop tart, he was kicked out because he had frequently misbehaved, including trying to grope other students, and neither him nor his parents attempted to change his behavior.

And that's where I honestly believe a lot of this "PC is ruining the world!" rhetoric comes from: places like /r/TumblrInAction and media outlets that function on the same plane are able to share false information or make it incredibly misleading, and it becomes "truth" because people would rather believe a title telling them the world is going to shit than spend a few minutes google and reading articles showing that no, the world is actually doing ok all things considered.

    I didn't know Miley Cyrus had a career. I think you're being facetious, but there are at least one or two even more ridiculous things going on in the world. I have no idea how the hell she would have a career though.

I mean, she's on tours, she's got famous photoshoots, she's been in the media pretty frequently and a lot of people really like her music.

Why am I the facetious one when you're denying that she has a career?

    To me, people of color sounds more racist than PC.

Are you a person of color? Because, let's be honest, the majority of people who seem to find PoC to be a problematic term are not PoC, and just want to insert themselves into the conversation.

The fact is, PoC has become a widely accepted term by people who happen to be of color. That's because calling someone black or african very easily associates someone with a race/country/nationality that they very well may not be part of.

    I don't believe that we need to say stuff like "cerebrally challenged"

1. This is the first time I've ever heard this term.

2. Are you implying that psychological diagnoses are not...ok? Like...if someone has developmental issues, what are you wanting their condition to be referred to as?

    or "door person" instead of doorman/doorwoman(if that's a thing).

I can honestly say that, other than blatant trolls TiA and reddit in general has fallen for, I have never seen someone actually throw a fit about the nomenclature used to refer to people who hold jobs related to doors.

Again, this comes back to what I said before, that a lot of this "PC is ruining the world" rhetoric seems based entirely on secondhand information or actual bullshit. Like you're creating a world where you're the victim of other people who don't actually exist.

    It's obnoxious. If the person I'm talking to can't figure out what I mean, then they can ask, but I loathe when someone tells me in that snarky, holier-than-thou tone to use the PC term.

Do you consider their tone snarky because they're asking you to use a different word than, say, "retard" or "faggot"? Are you sure you aren't just taking offense to someone asking that you acknowledge their humanity just as much as they acknowledge yours?

It feels like you've created a caricature of socially-minded liberals that, I'll be honest, doesn't exist outside of the deepest, darkest, trolliest parts of tumblr and maybe the occasional college freshman who just learned about feminism and got over-excited.

    I honestly believe that if we stop giving special little groups for everything, that we'll become a more homogeneous society. Everyone wants to be a special butterfly, but we're forgetting that we're all just humans.

And you're forgetting that not all humans have the same experiences nor are all humans treated equally both under the law and in general.

What you're essentially saying here is that transgender people should just shut the fuck up and act normal and they'll stop getting killed. That PoC should stop caring about the disproportionate force used against them by police time and time again because hashtag all lives matter.

    I'm tall as hell (6'5"/198.12cm) but I don't need someone to call me vertically advantaged.

Can't imagine that'll ever happen.

    I'm not very empathetic, but I don't want someone to call me emotionally challenged or whatever the hell you'd call it.

Mk, but you know that there are legitimate mental illnesses and disorders that can cause people to have problems with empathy or expressing and controlling their emotions, right? I've been diagnosed as bipolar, with ADHD, and PTSD. If you haven't been diagnosed has having mental issues, then I highly doubt anyone will refer to you as emotionally challenged, unless they're doing so as a joke or insult.

    I have varying aspects of my being just like any other person. I don't need or want to be placed in a special category besides "human being." Bam. Give me my rights. Treat me like everyone else. Give me a fair go. I think that's what everyone else really wants (maybe not the "no special category" thing, but the rights and whatnot.) Why it's not that way, I'm really not sure.

It's not that way because, no matter how much you hope and wish and dream that every human is the same, we're a very troubled species that has a lot of issues with anything different from us.

It's not that way because, no matter how much we would all love to be treated equally, we still have elected officials with immense power that use said power to keep women and minorities "in their place" and at a disadvantage.

What you need to do is face up to reality. You need to accept that people are going to have their "special categories" because they want to SHOW YOU why the status quo, heterosexual white male perception of the world is flawed, because the people in those "special categories" are treated unfairly and have a lot of obstacles that most white, straight people will never experience.

Now, have the dynamics improved compared to even fifty years ago? Sure! But we're far and away from an equal world, much less a single country in that world having equality, much less a single state in the USA having equality.

SadPandaIsSad  ·  3447 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I am actually responding to lifestyle again as he has me blocked.

Tv shows and comedy are completely different. Most of those shows shed light on the subjects, which may not be PC, in subtle ways that help people understand them without directly challenging peoples beliefs. They teach tolerance under the guise of comedy. Andy lake can very easily choose not to watch them and there is a rating system already in place to let people know what kind of show they are subjecting themselves to.

Game if thrones is set in a scenario vastly different from our own reality so it doesn't really hit close to home for people or challenge their beliefs seeing as it's not real. It's fictional not factual. To be honest I'm not that familiar with the show as I don't watch series until they are complete so I can binge watch them. Therefore my argument for that one is purely assumed based on my understanding of what i have been told about it and im not qualified to discredit that particular show for your point.

Breaking bad takes a look at the world's drug underground, something people seem to find fascinating as was evident with weeds. It also doesn't really challenge peoples beliefs. And again they can turn it off without a fuss if they don't like what they are seeing.

And I don't know anything any the wire but my argument still stands about things being rated.

Edited multiple times to get everything correct. (With no response on the mean time)

SadPandaIsSad  ·  3447 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Is it just me or did lifestyled just completely ignore the arguments I made and exit the conversation on grounds of jokes being made which had nothing to do with this particular article or post even though I basically said that jokes of that nature are different especially when done intentionally to a person you know had that trigger? Also, he blocked me lol.

kingmudsy  ·  3447 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Which comment are you referring to? This thread is getting pretty tough to keep up with.

SadPandaIsSad  ·  3447 days ago  ·  link  ·  

My comment that starts with

To be fair the article isn't about the internet its about college and learning. I do agree th at the professor should have offered alternate course with for anyone who did not wish to participate free such reasons.

And his response to it which is immediately below it.