Seeing people as fragile leads to the notion that they must always be protected by discomfort
Some leftists try to silence apposing ideas or form safe spaces from them because they believe it may harm those who’s own subjective experience is invalidated. Also safe spaces allow for people to shield themselves from the discomfort of opposing views. “But why do people need to be kept “safe” from ideas?” you may ask. Can they not just avoid going to the talk? Well if you understand people as fragile—as apposed to antifragile—then it makes sense that all members of a community should work together to protect those people from reminders of past trauma. Perhaps by demanding that someone in with authoritative power prevent the threatening speaker from being heard. Though they seem to have good intentions, such support should be viewed with suspicion, as strong social support groups may sometimes only be about homogeneity, conformity, and xenophobia.
References
- Lukianoff, Greg. Haidt, Jonathan. (2019). The Coddling of the American Mind Chapter 1 The Untruth of Fragility What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Weaker (Epub p. 43). New York, NY: Penguin Random House.
Metadata
Type:🔴 Tags: Psychology / Sociology Status:☀️