Week 7 - Clarice Wong

Clarice Wong
ASA 002 A02
November 5, 2017


Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, in “The Coddling of the American Mind”, warn of the dangers of college campuses creating a bubble of protection around students. For example, creating “safe spaces”, promoting use of “trigger warnings”, and teaching against using “microaggressions” are all forms of coddling students who may have emotional responses to certain topics. These phrases all come with a connotation of microscopic offense; for example, some campus guidelines consider it a microagression to ask an Asian or Latino American where they were born. Lukianoff and Haidt argue that effective psychology calls for the exact opposite of the response that these campuses have instated; that helping people with anxiety about certain topics by avoiding their fears (these trigger topics) does not work. This vindictive protectiveness could even have a reverse effect on students. For example, if words like “rape” or certain mention of alcohol or drugs are triggers, then how can a healthy discussion ensue about these issues? Simply banning certain words from mention hardly seems a solution to avoid students from being triggered into their anxiety or depression. The most effective treatment for mental disorders, argue Haidt and Lukianoff, are a process known as exposure therapy by Ivan Pavlov. By being exposed to fears, students will be able to develop extra-thick skin and be able to shed the cocoon of infantile thought and naive expectations of other people. 

Question: Although Lukianoff and Haidt have a good point of arguing the dangers of catastrophizing and “mental filtering” among college campuses, there is a fine line between these trigger warnings and avoiding hate crimes. How are campuses able to punish students who carry out hate crimes in subliminal ways, while maintaining the philosophy that Lukianoff and Haidt are promoting?

Reference:
Lukianoff, G., & Haidt, J. (2015). “The Coddling of the Asian American Mind.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
[Digital Image]. Retrieved November 5, 2017 "http://www.cantonrep.com/storyimage/OH/20160512/NEWS/160519699/AR/0/AR-160519699.jpg"