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The Trigger debate

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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm genuinely not sure about trigger warnings. I think it's polite to say, at the start of an article or blogpost, that you'll be talking about subjects that some people will find difficult. That's just good manners.

    But there does come a point when you have to take ownership of your own feelings and emotions. You choose to feel suicidal after reading an article on suicide, you choose to feel like injuring yourself after reading a blog about self-harm. An article in the Observer about self-injury in teenagers doesn't force you to go to your bedroom and hurt yourself, that is a choice you make.

    Pointing out that something might have distressing content is good manners, either in the headline (e.g. if the headline says the story is about childhood sexual abuse, you may well find it distressing if you were sexually abused as a child) or in the first couple of sentences. If you have body image issues, or an eating disorder, then chances are you'll struggle with Supersize vs Superskinny.

    But being "triggered" is something that you choose to be.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I feel as if the whole situation could end up in a catch 22 problem. How could you conceivably warn people of every possible trigger without knowing in advance what triggers people have, without risking making someone trigger because you went into so much detail.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would hugely dispute that someone "chooses" to be triggered by something. That's like saying someone chooses to have flashbacks! What you do about being triggered once triggered is a choice but being triggered isn't always a choice.

    I agree you'll never be able to warn of every possible trigger without triggering someone, but sometimes (esp in public places) you can't get away from the radio playing in the background (in lots of places of work, in taxis, in restaurants etc), I think they should at least make the reports less graphic or remove them from the broadcast before the watershed - doesn't totally remove them but it would help people to be able to regulate things themselves better, and also give parents more control able if they want their children to hear about such things.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The problem is that many triggers are not always that graphic, especially not if going over the radio during the day anyway. I agree there are certain things that are more likely to be triggering, but not necessarily because they are graphic, but because someone finds them triggering. What you suggests sounds very much like state controlled censorship.
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