From the Coddling of the American Mind

From the Coddling of the American Mind

Vocabulary

1. Prefix over-: the use of the prefix over adds a new meaning to the term sensitive as it now means more sensitive than necessary.
2. Backlash, as used in the paragraph, means a very strong negative or harmful reaction.
3. Intellectual engagement with other individuals combined with patterns of thought is part of speech that is endangered. This means that students are not offered opportunities for critical thinking and aren’t even allowed to examine their beliefs and the wisdom of those around them.

Responding to Words

1. To give offense means to cause anger or to bring about annoyance and displeasure to someone.
2. The literary, philosophical, and historical canon is different from a canon as it is able to exclude works despite how influential a canon is. In other words, they do go through a value determining list that excludes other canons.
3. Vindictive protectiveness, according to the essayists, means having a habit of protecting people from words and ideas that might make them uncomfortable.

Discussing the main point

1. Trigger warnings would be placed on materials found in college class so as to shield students from encountering materials that might be hurtful to them and cause emotional responses.
2. The consequence of increased sensitivity will force students to think pathologically.
3. The terms they focus on are intellectual engagement which means a commitment to exploration and investigation and creation of a culture which is a process of forming a framework of values and behaviors.

Examining sentences

1. Lukianoff and Haidt communicate their feelings by directly describing the problem at hand.
2. One gets a good idea about what microaggression is and what a trigger warning is for. Clarity comes in the form of the definition of the terms as well as clear examples are given.
3. The claims are convincing since vindictive protectiveness denies students a chance to think autonomously.

Thinking critically

1. I go to college to learn how to think on my own as the information received will be subjected to scrutiny before any action is taken.
2. The impulse would not be protectiveness but an overreaching act. It is the colleges that are protecting themselves from any form of issue that might arise out of the wrong placement of thoughts.
3. The new protectiveness does leave students confused as it’s not clear what can be said as everyone is walking on eggshells.

Why I Use Trigger Warnings

Vocabulary

1. Eclipse as a verb relates to the noun metaphorically to mean blocking off one’s rational capacities.
2. Arachnophobe comes from arachnid and phobia which means having a fear of spiders
3. The opposite of minimal is maximal

Responding to words

1. Being accused of coddling means pampering someone to the extreme.
2. In the speech, the term flag is a verb that means it indicates which is different from other meanings such as banner or ensign.
3. If an idea is an alarmist, it mist evokes a panic response.

Discussing the main point

1. Manne uses trigger warnings when writing routine e-mails to the class.
2. The distinctions drawn are that of flagging content that might cause trauma and to allow people to choose whether to engage the material or not.
3. Triggered reactions cause nausea, memory recall of traumatic events, or even irrational reflections. The warning helps them know what they would face; thus, they would be adequately prepared.

Examining sentences

1. Manne uses personal experience and objective information by linking the two to create adequate examples to explain her position on triggered reactions. The personal experiences are examples while the objective information affirms these examples.
2. The last paragraph doesn’t reflect on what she has covered but rather gives a new direction on what needs to be looked at in light of the topic at hand.
3. Her use of the dash in her sentences emphasizes on her actions and also her conclusions. Without it, there is no emphasis on her actions; thus, understanding might be limited.

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Thinking critically

1. A person with a triggered reaction is capable since they are given an early warning about the material thus have time to prepare themselves. The analogy is valid since triggered reactions, as well as intense nausea, are more of negative responses.
2. With these warnings, we are capable of programming our brains to accept the information given without having negative reactions. The warnings are given to avoid any surprise that might be of bad taste.
3. A trigger warning should be given in any situation in order to prep the learner. By using it all the time, it can be balanced to avoid overuse.

Beware the Trigger Warning

Vocabulary

1. Stifle is a verb in the paragraph which means to suppress or suffocate.
2. The word advice in the paragraph means to give an opinion while it differs from advice as it means to make recommendations on something.
3. Vigilance means being in a state of caution for danger, while hypervigilance means being in a state of caution but at the same time with increased anxiety, among other behaviors.

Responding to words

1. A slur is a noun in this context that insinuates something about a person that is likely to be insulting or even damage their reputation.
2. Trigger warnings might cover eating disorders, suicidal tendencies, or even mental illnesses.
3. Trigger warning leads to a stunted learning environment by increasing people’s anxieties, which cause emotional damage.

Discussing the main point

1. The opposition that Richson considers is that which of individuals having to deal with PTSD owing to a lack of trigger warnings.
2. Overton agrees that consideration should be made towards individuals who have suffered from psychological illness when adopting trigger warnings.
3. Overton believes that trigger warnings are worthy since they are a reflection of compassion and empathy.

Examining Sentences

1. The use of the dash creates emphasis on what the author mentions; it is to allow the reader to fully understand what he is claiming.
2. Overton indicates that his essay is in response to another’s work by including Richson’s argument in the first paragraph. The indication is necessary since it gives the reader a direction that they can follow while reading the essay.
3. Overton couldn’t have gone further in her conclusion as she had already fully exhausted her argument for the trigger warnings.

Thinking Critically

1. The statement is true since trigger warnings help such individuals reduce their flight or flight mode. This ensures they stay away from images or words that might bring back the trauma.
2. The generation of students hasn’t grown accustomed to cuddling but rather have discovered the apparent causes of psychological break downs hence the need for warnings. The warnings are more of a cushion that ensures they are mentally prepared.
3. The alternatives to trigger warnings to students with PTSD would be having a conversation about the readings so as to ensure the traumatic parts are dealt with in a therapeutic manner.

How Helicopter Kids Grow Up to Become Hypersensitive College students

Vocabulary

1. Balk refers to the action of resisting an idea
2. Primed, in this context, means being prepared to do something. It can be used in another context to mean trained or instructed to do something.
3. An action being directed means it was supervised, misdirected, on the other hand, means taken in the wrong direction.

Responding to words

1. In this context, aggrieved means unhappy in reference to the feelings of the students.
2. Basic locomotion means progression in a safe and efficient manner in reference to growing up from childhood to adulthood.
3. Callousness, in this context, means emotionally hardened or even insensitive to others.

Discussing the main point

1. Young adults were taught to turn to authorities any time they face any bit of aggravation or discomfort.
2. Baby knee pads and helmets teach children they should take precautions all the time and avoid getting hurt. They begin to see themselves as fragile elements.
3. Skenazy blames society for the current climate on college campuses as they tell kids they are in constant danger, thus forcing authorities to always make things safer.

Examining sentences

1. The author uses the “coddling of the American mind” by making reference to how society has contributed to bringing up a soft or fragile generation that can’t handle losing.
2. Her writing style features consistency in terms of personal opinions and views concerning the way in which kids are raised.
3. These are effective statements to use in the essay as they add emphasis on how society has got it wrong when it comes to raising kids.

Thinking Critically

1. The essay is a response to Lukianoff and Haidt as it affirms the fact that modern society is generally breeding week and oversensitive children. It furthers the argument by noting how these kids are nurtured from birth with a weak mentality that affects then when in college.
2. Other reasons for asking that question would be if one wants to find out the language that the other person speaks or their cultural experiences.
3. The author fully explains this process as a description of the process right from birth is presented; this allows one to have a great understanding of the concept being talked about.

Works Cited

Atwan, Robert, ed. America now: Short readings from recent periodicals. Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, 1994.