Trigger Warnings Research Paper

After my first semester in college, I was left with a new and exciting learning experience. I engaged in discussions on controversial topics and was exposed to various reading and media material which opened me up to new perspectives. In classrooms, questions about politics, abuse, drugs, death, relationships, religion, and ethics were discussed without restrictions. I enjoyed this learning experience on the most part due to the professors announcing the topics to be discussed the first day of classes. Being fresh out of high school, such a practice relieved the transition into a new academic environment. However, I cannot solely rely on my personal experience when deciding on where to stand regarding the controversy that has students, parents, educators, and administrators in disagreement. In my research I plan to explore the controversy over the use of trigger warnings and safe spaces by analyzing both sides of the debate. My goal is to come to a conclusion concerning the proper use of trigger warnings and safe spaces; specifically, when should trigger warnings be given, where is the use of trigger warnings and safe spaces appropriate, and most importantly, what subjects should students be warned or protected from. I

As a class, we mainly fell into the category of those who would not tell a professor if they had any concerns regarding a class. The standard here with the usage of trigger warnings is how do we as a society know what actually will require a trigger warning. If no one has a standard, then the policy would be mocked for being too lackadaisical. I see trigger warnings being necessary in some situations where I would want to know if something graphic is going to be shown to me. We came across two definitions of safe spaces in the class: 1) an actual physical safe space and 2) an ideological safe space. The concern with the physical safe space is that it seems more reductive or childish, which interestingly enough is how the Baby Boomers assess our generation.

The issuing of trigger warnings, according to the American Association of Professors, can be counterproductive. “The voluntary use of trigger warnings…assume that individuals will respond negatively to certain content,” which leads to reducing students to vulnerable victims rather than full participants in class discussions or debates. Trigger warnings are thus inadequate, “reasonable accommodations should be done on individual basis” rather than exposing students to trigger warnings that might affect how they view a material that has educational value.

In this article, they view trigger warnings as a way of students avoiding issues that may cause them discomfort. Manne describes the idea of trigger warnings as a way to “flag content that depicted or discussed common causes of trauma, like military combat, child abuse, incest and sexual violence.” However, she says that the purpose of trigger warnings are slightly different at schools and universities. The warnings are meant to prepare students instead of bombarding them with possible triggering material. This way each student can learn instead of experiencing a panic attack which makes it “impossible to think straight.”

The topic of trigger warnings have been a hot topic amongst people. Trigger warnings are a warning or a statement that the following material or phrases could be harmful to the psyche of certain individuals about to experience the material. This spans across the average worker to professors at universities. This topic rose from about 2011 on the internet and has reached a high to where people are discussing their thoughts on the matter. Everyone has a stance on whether trigger warnings should be issued when discussing a potential topic that could cause distress for a student or anyone in a class. With the rise of mental health disorders being diagnosed in students, some seek professional help or a better diagnosis because of there helpfulness. Students have been at odds sometimes because of trigger warnings. The debate on whether or not to implicate them in a classroom setting is the main topic of the argument.

For example, “censoring this material is a bad idea, and providing context is the best avenue for explaining why” (Hanlon). As you can see, when certain things are not taught in our culture, it becomes a trigger warning and along the line, someone is hurting from it because our culture says “NO”. Furthermore, the purpose of trigger warnings is to have students react to stuff that will make them uncomfortable and this can help us catch problems before they become “catastrophes” (Hanlon). To sum up, our society makes it tough to present trigger warnings, therefore leaving those who are in need of help left

Trigger statements are becoming more and more popular in syllabi, especially on college campuses. These provide students, especially those with post-traumatic stress disorder, with a warning about possibly uncomfortable content that could cause a flashback or panic attack. There are several different opinions about trigger warnings. Jenny Jarvie, the author of the article “Trigger Happy,” believes that they have gone too far and are a detriment to society (Jarvie 6). To enhance Jarvie’s point further, in their article “The Coddling of the American Mind” Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt explain how trigger warnings cause metal illness on campuses across the country. The opposing view is that they are necessary to have a fulfilling learning

In Lindsay Holmes’s article “A Quick Lesson on What Trigger Warnings Actually Do,” she states that trigger warnings are misinterpreted cautions notifying whether or not a discussion could cause emotional distress, and often are not implemented for this reason. Holmes begins by recounting when the University of Chicago announced they would not be focusing on Trigger Warnings or safe places; although the university later tells expresses that their initial statement was misinterpreted, the author uses this to open the discussion on the importance of trigger warnings.

Trigger warnings, a label made to help those with every type of PTSD, do not help and are not needed in literary topics. Trigger warnings are not needed in literacy because most people see them as annoyances do to the fact that they a directed at a small part of the population and doesn’t really apply to most of the population. Also they aren’t that easy to place, almost anything could trigger anyone at anytime by any topic without anyone knowing beforehand what to expect. Finally even though they were made to help mostly people with PTSD, but when they see the labels they will most likely avoid those topics and avoiding “trigger topics” is actually a symptom of PTSD.

A trigger warning is something that is becoming a detriment to the educational system. Trigger Warnings are a warning that is given prior to talking about a subject or given to warn those about a subject that may trigger some form of post traumatic stress disorder. They have been a widely controversial topic lately and there is a lot of reasons why there are so controversial. There are many professors and students that are for trigger warnings and many that are against the use of trigger warnings. While they seem harmless when first speaking about them, trigger warnings are in fact a huge negative to higher education.

Professors should put trigger warnings on syllabi to inform students of the potentiality of sensitive material in the course. Students should understand what classes they are going to be taking before they enroll in that class. Informing students about sensitive material should be a factor because it's the professors judgement to teach the class the way they are going to teach it. Also, informing students about sensitive material will prepare their minds for what tough topics are going to be covered preparing the students to be successful. Many things in college should come with trigger warnings because the course material taught by most professors is up to their choosing.

Trigger warnings are statements that begin with a piece of writing or any other material that alerts the reader or viewer that there may be distressing material. The argument of Trigger Warnings being a requirement on college campuses is a big controversial debate in today's society. Trigger warnings are being debated whether it's helpful for students or it interferes with the first amendment of college professors. According to an online survey from the Modern Language Association and the College Art Association, "nearly half of respondents (45%) think or will have a negative effect on classroom dynamics and 62% think they have or will have a negative effect on academic freedom, a substantial minority (17%) view trigger warnings favorably"

Lindsay Holmes’s “A Quick Lesson On What Trigger Warnings Actually Do” is a persuasive piece written in response to the backlash that The University of Chicago received against implementing trigger warnings for their students. Likewise, Holmes sets up her argument in the hopes of persuading the general population the importance of creating safe zones and use trigger warnings for those who need them. In order to do this, Holmes uses a series of rhetorical devices throughout her essay to develop her argument for the use of trigger warnings. Holmes achieves her goal of persuading the audience that trigger warnings should be taken into consideration through her intentional use of rhetorical appeals, anticipated objections, and hypophoras in this essay.

Trigger Warning by David Legore was a refreshingly honest play that genuinely surprised me in its willingness to ask difficult questions and provide controversial answers while simultaneously admitting it didn’t have them all. The play addressed prevalent modern day issues such as academic censorship, free speech, stereotyping, and racism. It promoted a message of truth in love. In today’s society, people are discouraged from giving opinions at all for fear of someone taking offense. Trigger Warning made a point of showing that it’s ok to have an opinion; it’s even ok to be right, so long as you speak the truth in love.

Trigger warnings have become a very pending and current issue with many students, as they are currently included in most college syllabi. Recently many professors have been adding such announcements to the beginning of their coursework outlines, and by doing so students are given a more accurate understanding of what the curriculum entails. They can help one avoid suffering from trauma including anxiety attacks, nightmares, and PTSD attacks, but it can also be argued that they continue the bad habit of coddling that many millennials grew up with and are accused of expecting as they enter the real world. Before examining how essential these trigger warnings are, one must first understand exactly what a trigger warning is.