Are people abusing the concept of a trigger?

[JimB]

This PC behavior will only lead to bloodbath.

What is the progression of events and/or timeline you imagine that begins with trigger warning and ends in a bloodbath? That is, how do we get from where we're standing to where you predict?

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

Functionally they're sort of like content warnings for human beings with severe psychological problems brought on by trauma; returned veterans, survivors of serious assault/abuse or those who deal with the ugly side of life such as police, firefighters and paramedics.

Sections of the internet abuse this notion (as they are wont to do) and it's a huge pain in the arse for genuine sufferers since it dilutes the meaning.

Oddly enough the only place I've seen them used and not be an inconvenience is on fanfiction.net, where they're just content warnings.

 

[Erttheking]

The word trigger has been abused, as have the words entitlement, censorship, freedom of speech, SJW, bully, gamer, pro-consumer, racist, misogynistic, I could go on.

Long story short, we're assholes to the English language. For all the good it does the internet has a way of fucking things up.

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

I'm not saying be silent. In the thing you replied to I said talk to a therapist, friend, or relative. Work it out. Work through it.

Fair enough. I did misrepresent your opinion somewhat, and I apologize for that.

No worries.

Posting it on social media will only make things worse.

How so?

When has it ever had a positive outcome?
Then again, if you're using it right and only add good friends and family and have good privacy settings, it might not be so bad. But every situation I can think of where someone posts it online only ends up making them look like attention seekers. But then again, that's only because people posting it privately don't end up being seen, so the pool to take examples from is a little skewed.
I steer clear of social media so I'm not that knowledgeable to it outside classes I've taken, but broadcasting your problems online doesn't sound like a good idea.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

People abuse the fuck out of everything so I don't see how this is any different.

It may be more prevalent on the Internet (looking at you Tumblr) but it's whatever. I'd rather people abuse triggers than other people

 

[Platypus540]

Originally the term "trigger" means something that could set off an otherwise latent psychological effect, for example fireworks could trigger the PTSD of a war veteran. Lately, it has been abused by the PC-fanatic crowd to mean anything that could offend someone, and "trigger warnings" are most often used in this context rather than anything reasonable. The term "trigger" is almost never used anymore on the internet by people whose opinions are worth listening to. For example, there's a screencap floating around the internet of someone claiming they're being triggered by a picture of a pomegranate because they thought it looked like gore.

 

[Something Amyss]

it kills me every time you get 10,000 people claiming they have OCD

Now, is that exactly 10,000, or would one more or one less not make a difference?

Depends on your specific compulsions?

Well played.

 

[Something Amyss]

That ironically insane comment reminds me of this comic strip from a little while back. I think you'll get a kick out of it.

Spoiler

Can we stop the slope at mandatory gay marriage?

Captcha: Feeding Frenzy. Is this some feminazi plot?

 

[JimB]

When has it ever had a positive outcome?

I've had pretty good luck with it, though the plural of "anecdote" is "anecdotes," not "data."

Anybody who uses or supports the use of 'trigger warnings' is a weak, useless human being who cannot afford to live in a harsh, free society.

How fortunate this is not that society which thinks freedom applies only to those who have neither psychiatric ailments nor compassion for people who do.

Pricks that try to trigger you. One of the more noteworthy examples (which is just internet drama, but still one of the most well known around here) was when Youtube drama llama and banana enthusiast The Amazing Atheist intentionally tried to trigger a rape victim because he didn't (and probably still doesn't) think that they're real.

Huh, what a dick. And yes, people misusing your information is always a threat, but if a person feels like he's at a point in his progression where he can share that information, I support the choice to do so. Nothing makes me feel better than a public confession, and I wouldn't deny anyone the pleasure of that catharsis.

That's not to say everyone will feel the same way I do after making public announcements, but for those who do, rock on, bruddas n sistas.

That ironically insane comment reminds me of this comic strip from a little while back. I think you'll get a kick out of it.

guffaw

That final panel is priceless. Thanks for sharing.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Can we stop the slope at mandatory gay marriage?

How dare you censor the slippery slope!

 

[Something Amyss]

Can we stop the slope at mandatory gay marriage?

How dare you censor the slippery slope!

I'm a Social Justice Warrior. One of the Socially Justiciest! It's what I do!

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

When has it ever had a positive outcome?

I've had pretty good luck with it, though the plural of "anecdote" is "anecdotes," not "data."

Just out of curiosity, do you only have close friends and family added and good privacy settings, or can/do hundreds upon hundreds see what you post?

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Can we stop the slope at mandatory gay marriage?

How dare you censor the slippery slope!

I'm a Social Justice Warrior. One of the Socially Justiciest! It's what I do!

I misread that as Socially Juiciest and learned the true meaning of fear.

 

[Something Amyss]

I misread that as Socially Juiciest and learned the true meaning of fear.

Well, I am socially juicy, but I'm not sure I'm the juiciest.

 

[Godhead]

The word "trigger" triggers me, so obviously I had to read the entire thread to reach the maximum amount of being triggered.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I misread that as Socially Juiciest and learned the true meaning of fear.

Well, I am socially juicy, but I'm not sure I'm the juiciest.

Yep, that's going to take a whole lot of bourbon to get out of my head.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I misread that as Socially Juiciest and learned the true meaning of fear.

Social Juicebro.

I think I just developed a trigger.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

I misread that as Socially Juiciest and learned the true meaning of fear.

Social Juicebro.

I think I just developed a trigger.

I prefer to think of such things as compulsions to drink.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I think I just developed a trigger.

I prefer to think of such things as compulsions to drink.

Being conscious is the only compulsion to drink I need.

 

[AwesomeHatMan]

I think what ks is saying there is that if discussing something can cause horrible flashbacks/whatever and that one finds it so hard to talk about this, then why would one be discussing this on social media? If one does have this problem with this topic, why would they go out of their way to bring it up (especially on social media, which has such a reputation for its negativity)? Surely by doing this they are doing the thing that they were trying to avoid.

People have their own methods for coping with things. I deal with issues I'd never discuss with another living person, and which I'd immediately flee the room if a real person tried to discuss them with me, but I will talk about them online. It feels safer here, since I am in control of the discussion (at least in the sense that I can choose my own level of participation with absolute sovereignty) and since my never having looked any of you in the eye puts you in a weird place in my mind where I can pretend you're not real and your judgments of me don't matter.

I'm not saying the people who discuss their triggers online feel the same way I do, but I can say it makes sense to me and to my experiences.

That actually seems kinda reasonable...