Use Safe Spaces or Trigger Warnings Philosophy in Colleges - Essay Sample

Introduction

Activities have been put into motion to make colleges and other learning institutions safe for assault victims. These are people who go through traumatizing moments leaving them emotionally vulnerable to torture. Getting rid of words or actions that might spark discomfort or offend people within the colleges has been encouraged on a large scale by activists. This is being encouraged in colleges to eradicate activities that would cause distress to students within the colleges in the course of studies. Even popular artists whose pieces of art could promote distress were discouraged to perform within the college campuses. Activists have come up to provide a safe place for rape victims or people living in trauma-free from activities that prompt traumatizing memories or thoughts.

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Debates within the college to criticize raping culture would be initiated to address the challenge. To avoid affecting the already traumatized people with sensitive debates, safe spaces are supplied to provide a room to assist them to recuperate. The safe places are increasingly spreading in colleges. Students occupying the houses are protected from distressing debates on sensitive issues. The safe space was to be a room a room equipped with foodstuffs, music, and beddings to make the occupants as comfortable as possible. The room would also be equipped with experienced personnel to handle people living with trauma. In the live action version, safe spaces are referred to as trigger warnings. These are messages in assigned readings that warn readers, amongst them college students, of disturbing content. These messages are put clearly at a section of reading materials that can clearly be seen. With the use of the above, colleges are giving rise to graduates who are oversensitive to even simple social issues. Colleges should not allow the use of safe spaces in dealing with people living with trauma especially resulting from sexual assault.

Traced back to feminist activist groups of the 1960s, safe spaces are gatherings of people with similar minds who decide to keep off ridicule, bias, or criticism from the world. Setting up safe places shows some element of favor to some special group of people. It may result in people in the "unsafe" places asking for safety too. This is because setting up these safe spaces means any region outside the safe place is not safe for its occupants. In a campaign in Columbia University, students encouraged the use of safe houses an act of showing kindness to people going through mental challenges. The creation of such spaces resulted into interference of communication in colleges as some students and professors loath to mention some words that could be sensitive to victims of trauma. Many professors have been accused of using phrases that trigger distress or offense amongst students. According to an article written by Jeannie Suk, some law students went to an extent of opposing some content, specifically rape law. The students reasoned that the topic would trigger distress to people who may have fallen victim of rape before. To some extent, the sensitivity affects the teaching process as it limits the professors' freedom. A professor, who wished to remain anonymous, wrote an article expressing how his liberal students terrorize him. Article writer has been seen raising forces against oversensitivity, some claiming some students can't take even simple jokes.

Some small actions or word usage even without malicious intent end up being misunderstood as acts of violence. Some students end even discouraging readers from by some publications citing they contain information that may raise emotions. An example is a claim that the Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart has some elements of racial violence. Students with a past with traces of racial discrimination could, therefore, be discouraged to read the book as reading it may rekindle the past rough experience. This sensitivity affects discussions as it limits people from using some phrases even for the sake of discussions.

Movements within the colleges have been formed in favor of marginalized groups. Some have been set up to restrict people from using hate speech towards the minority groups. The movements aim at maintaining a good emotional well being of the college population. Young adults are shielded from psychological harm. People found to go against the will of the movements are punished. To some extent, this interferes with the right of expression as people now choose the most appropriate phrases, less they are charged with insensitivity. This overprotection may affect the thinking patterns of the students, a problem associated with depression and anxiety. The speech codes limit free expression. Philosophers limit their theory other than instilling a limiting sense of humility that aims at teaching the complexity of the reality.

With the generational shift, much has changed in institutions of learning. Play structures were removed from playing grounds as they could be dangerous. These structures were however critical in the previous generation. This give the young adult a perspective of that life is dangerous but they are protected from harm. This combined with the growing culture of political polarization may lead to hostility amongst students. This is why students should be left to face the real challenges of life right from school, as it helps them think critically. Several theories have been developed to offer psychological security to vulnerable students. Legal scholars argued that language inflicting emotional injuries should be avoided. This shielding should be minimized as they may make the students more susceptible to emotional torture.

College is supposed to equip people with knowledge to deal with real issues facing the world. This can only be achieved if the environment of the learning institutions is left in a condition not far different from the real world. College is meant to change people's e\perspective on critical issues. With the creation of safe spaces, the colleges deny students the ability to see the world as other people see it. This will create a bunch of graduates who are inexperienced on social and intellectual matters. Looking at facts, it's only a few students who favor the use of anti-hate speech codes. Professionals like the health counselors should be discouraged from being overprotective. Students should be left to face challenges and risky engagements as this breeds maturity.

Eric Posner, a professor in Chicago law school claimed that the universities nowadays treat students excessively comfortable, making them more puerile. The method of parenting also contributes to the emotional well being of young adults. Although universities are required by the civil right groups to create a favorable learning environment for their students, they should not exaggerate, limiting the freedom of expression. However, issues that might risk the emotional well-being of the students should be discouraged in favor of the young adults. Majority of the youths should avoid looking the world in a version distorted by their frustrations. They should instead see it as it is, describing situations as per the facts. When youths distance themselves from irrational thinking, they become less depressed.

Works Cited

Medina, Jennifer. "Warning: The literary canon could make students squirm." The New York Times 17 (2014).

Schauer, Frederick F. "Free speech: A philosophical enquiry." (1982).

Shulevitz, Judith. "In college and hiding from scary ideas." The New York Times 22 (2015).

Saldivar-Hull, Sonia. Feminism on the border: Chicana gender politics and literature. Univ of California Press, 2000.