The other day I was walking around campus and I overheard a discussion of a group of women who were clearly frustrated by something. I continued to listen in and behold, one of them had been "triggered". I had no idea what that meant... probably because I attended an all male military school but then again I could be wrong.
I decided to ask some friends and they looked at me as if I had been locked in a safe for a hundred years. They explained to me the triggering is "A topic, phrase or word that emotionally sets someone off. Could refer to anger, or reliving a traumatic experience. Sometimes this is logical, other times it seems like an attention grab" (via Urban Dictionary)
...then it hit me that this is another form of political correctness and the early onset of safe space culture.
I am reminded of the speech that our University President, President Underwood, gave at the Academic Convocation to open up the school year where he said, that this University does not engage in the kinds of safe space culture that have begun to develop in America.
Political Correctness is a disease that I have seen start as a small virus that has now been amplified by the devolution of American character. One of the best arguments that I have ever heard regarding the issue of Political Correctness comes from John Cleese.
John Cleese for those of you who don't know was a central lead comedian on Monty Python Star. He recently created a video speaking out on Political Correctness and the issues that it poses to humanity. He spoke of how he could not perform on university campuses due to the fact that political correctness has gone so far that any kind of criticism is now seen as "cruel". He responded to this occurrence by stating that political correctness has come to fruition due to the fact that many people can't control their own emotions and because of that they attempt to control others. He goes on to say that this could lead to a society like the one described in the famous Orwell novel "1984". He stated that "If you start to think 'ooh, we mustn't criticize or offend them' because of that humor is gone, with humor goes a sense proportion, and then as far as I am concerned we are living in 1984".
My number one concern as a citizen of the United States, which is shared by Cleese in the UK, is that this social phenomenon could grow to the point where our right to Freedom of Expression and Speech (guaranteed by the US Constitution) is infringed upon. I believe every human has a right to express themselves and speak as they see fit.
Robin Skynner, a psychologist from the United Kingdom (further used by Cleese to advance his argument) stated that "If people cannot control their own emotions then they need to start controlling other people's behavior..."
This is exceedingly true for today. I fear that many people who live on college and university campuses today can no longer speak their minds and furthermore that this generation is slowly pushing America to a monitored emotionless society. That may be an over-exaggeration but I truly feel that is possible.
I want everyone to realize that people have a right to speak what they want and express themselves in any way they see fit.
Perhaps its time that we all take an inner look into ourselves and attempt to control our emotions and realize that the negatives of Political Correctness far outweigh the positives.
I know that it can be hard for people to except harsh words that people state but a world with a few statements that may "trigger" someone is far better than a world where we can no longer express our thoughts and speak our minds.
