Live data from Hacker News

University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

time.com

251–260 of 444 posts

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#251
post #10
post #7

Am I missing something, or doesn't safe space just = Library / Dorm room ? Maybe add some headphones so you can't hear anything....

In practice, it basically means "club room where people who don't like the club aren't allowed in".

And in practice, "club room" is "classrooms all other spaces on campus."

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#252
post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where did you find that? I've been trying to find any data from the campus climate surveys, but most links are just about who participated.

That's not what the quote said, nor the context of it, the parent was trying to equate 'offending others' as 'being an asshole'. The actual quote is "54 percent of students said the climate on campus prevents some people from saying what they believe because they are fearful of offending others."

Oh lol, it was in this article. I had already read a couple sources and was just looking at comments. I thought actual data had been released from the climate survey that the school did this spring.

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So student associations shouldn't be allowed to not allow certain people into their meetings if they're found to be abusive? Because that's the point of a safe space if you didn't know. It's not unlike support groups who can and will eject people who are known to be abusive or otherwise disclose information outside the support group without permission of all members. So, to say that safe spaces shouldn't be allowed i…

No, because the statement expressly says "freedom of expression does not mean the freedom to harass or threaten others."

You don't have the right to join what amounts to as a private club. The U of Chicago can choose not to offer space for said club, but that's another matter entirely. But the point is that their management of their membership and who can attend their functions in their spaces is an essential right even at university. Otherwise, we might as well turn university into a bootcamp and force everyone to attend every course willy nilly. I'm sure even older students who have family lives would love to be forced to take courses and attend non-essential student associations that aren't core to their degree program.

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#254
post #3

I think this should be a requirement for any university that wants accreditation and certainly all state-run institutions. This is a bold statement not for the Uni. of Chicago, but for every other university that does not have a similar policy in place. Sorry, but you cannot get a proper education with trigger warnings and safe spaces. Therefore, those institutions that do not have the courage to stand up for educati…

So student associations shouldn't be allowed to not allow certain people into their meetings if they're found to be abusive? Because that's the point of a safe space if you didn't know. It's not unlike support groups who can and will eject people who are known to be abusive or otherwise disclose information outside the support group without permission of all members. So, to say that safe spaces shouldn't be allowed i…

> So student associations shouldn't be allowed to not allow certain people into their meetings if they're found to be abusive?

I went to UChicago. The letter doesn't say that anyone can say anything to anyone else. Presumably student organizations can choose who to invite or not invite into their meetings.

However, if Organization A finds the speaker invited by Organization B to be offensive they shouldn't expect the university to inveigh on their behalf.

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#255
post #22

This is tough . With the aspirations of "civility and mutual respect" along with "rigorous debate, discussion, and even disagreement", I would hope any truly egregious edge cases disappear. In the middle, I think people have the right to remove themselves from discussions—civil or otherwise—that they don't want to listen to or engage. But that right doesn't limit others' ability to have those selfsame discussions in…

Quite the opposite, it's really simple.

Trigger warnings do not belong into lectures. If you can't bear to hear the material you do not belong anywhere near an university.

Safe spaces are areas created by fascist people who want to shut down any dissenting opinions and stifle free speech.

Destroy PC culture once and for all. Congratulations, University of Chicago, a step in the right direction.

The university is here to stimulate the mind. An exchange of ideas, a wealth of information that enriches your thinking. The university should be the source of the most controversial ideas, not shield people from them. It is a place where ideas are manufactured by people who have a love for learning and freely playing with ideas.

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#256

There's a subtle point that's getting overshadowed by the lightning rod discussions about trigger warnings and safe spaces. The U of C is explicitly stating in this letter that if you don't agree with their values, don't come to the school. This seems uncontroversial to me, but I think it's worth affirming that self-segregation is a valid social strategy. I know segregation is a loaded word, but that's because histor…

Segregation and exclusion are obviously okay if they're done by those without power.

/s. For the love of God, /s.

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#257

What I find rather interesting, is that throughout human history we never had a need for trigger warnings until now. We've had slavery, 2 world wars, famine, countless horrors inflicted on a countless number of people. Nobody asks for it. Then I look to the third world there we have things like female genital mutilation, are the women who had that horror put upon them concerned with trigger warnings? Nope. Not as far…

Because once we solve the big problems, we can afford to care about smaller ones.

Throughout history people washed clothes by hand (at least the ones who had clothes), are modern first world citizens mentally weaker because we'd much rather have washing machines?

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#258
post #224
post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If we coddle people in wheelchairs, they'll never learn to wheel themselves up stairs. In the real world, there are stairs everywhere and they need to get used to that. I sprained my ankle one time in college and I crutched my way up the stairs just like everyone else. Why can't they do the same?

Except mental handicaps are not as well understood as physical handicaps. Trying to accommodate every single mental handicap in society is futile and expensive.

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "slave" (i/r/t "master" and "slave") in a computing context is now generally always phrased in another way, for example I need to educate myself. What do people use instead of "slave device" in computing?

The projects I've seen have gone with "leader/follower" https://github.com/django/django/commit/8a95b4fca793eeb8adce...

So, the solution is to literally use Führer instead of Master?

That’s a great choice, not only reprinting tons of literature, changing tons of code, but also choosing a Nazi analogy instead!

Every word triggers someone, society can’t be expected to adapt to anyone.

And I’ll continue to use Master/Slave, and continue to support the Sinter Klaas and Zwarte Piet tradition in the Netherlands.

Re: University of Chicago: ‘We Do Not Support So-Called Trigger Warnings’

#260
post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't believe so, no. DePaul claimed they blocked Shapiro from speaking due to "security concerns"[0]. In particular, students in favor of safe spaces and trigger warnings threatened to riot, block the doors, and prevent student access to the event. DePaul capitulated to this bullying by banning Shapiro. Related: California State University-Los Angeles planned on hosting Shapiro to speak, but demanded[1] the studen…

Do you believe that speakers of hate speech should be allowed on campus? I think theres a big difference between speakers you disagree with and the former. I'm a grad student at DePaul at the loop campus so I don't really follow much of what is going on with the undergrads at the main campus, but it seems to me that the administration is taking a hard stance because of people like Milo who are mostly there for shock…

> Do you believe that speakers of hate speech...

Who gets to create the definition of 'hate speech'? You, I assume?

> ...and not because they are saying anything of substance.

Because he's not substantive to you and people who agree with you, right?

Free speech is great as long as it's within acceptable boundaries!

Post reply on HN