I've not heard of trigger warnings but I think that if you come across something you don't wish to read about the solution is pretty simple: don't read it. I am inclined to think that life holds many unpleasant things and if no one ever talks about anything that might just disturb someone, conversation will come to a halt. It certainly wasn't like that when I grew up in the 60's. We talked about every topic under the sun. Oh well.
I’ve never said don’t discuss difficult topics, just suggested these sorts of sensitive topics should have a warning. I don’t think an explanation of why is necessary, considering the subject matter is rape. How on earth a call for compassion is seen as an aggressive wind up is beyond me, but I guess I’ll leave you all to discuss in peace.
How on earth a call for compassion is seen as an aggressive wind up is beyond me.
If you'd specified the warning was required for compassion then the confusion wouldn't have occurred. You posted after someone else suggested that this topic wasn't appropriate for a gardening forum so without any context people will draw their own conclusions. There could have been a number of reasons for your comment, and it wasn't just one person who read it the wrong way, so an explanation would certainly have helped. It's just a case of confusion and no harm done either way.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
It was pretty clear from the start of this thread what it was going to be about. Nobody has to read the posts. Unless a thread is being constantly policed, how do you flag when the content of a thread veers towards something that might offend someone? If I found a thread upsetting, I would stop reading it. I certainly wouldn't want to smother discussion of the subject.
I think you are right, @Fire. I must have lost the plot because I just can't see how it is compassionate to warn people not to talk about a subject all over the national press. What happened to freedom of speech? Are we to be sanctioned or shut down like in China? What right has a person to tell me what I can talk about? Perhaps @Omori can explain.
It's not about stopping people talking about subjects, it's about giving some idea of the topic in the subject heading so those who have experienced trauma relating to the topic know not to read it if it they don't want to.
Personally I think trigger warnings can be taken too far in some cases, but in this instance, on a forum where people might expect to find garden-related topics on the whole, I don't think it would be unreasonable to give one in the subject line.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
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I am inclined to think that life holds many unpleasant things and if no one ever talks about anything that might just disturb someone, conversation will come to a halt. It certainly wasn't like that when I grew up in the 60's. We talked about every topic under the sun. Oh well.
If I found a thread upsetting, I would stop reading it. I certainly wouldn't want to smother discussion of the subject.
Personally I think trigger warnings can be taken too far in some cases, but in this instance, on a forum where people might expect to find garden-related topics on the whole, I don't think it would be unreasonable to give one in the subject line.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border