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In 2015, a wave of writers began discussing hypersensitivity of college students, highlighted by articles on safe spaces at Brown University and comparisons with McCarthyism. The Charlie Hebdo shootings might have influenced the ensuing debate on free expression in American campuses.
Authors Haidt and Lukianoff, a psychologist and a lawyer respectively, publish a piece in The Atlantic criticizing trigger warnings and advocating against coddling students. Their work leads to a book titled The Coddling of the American Mind, focusing on overprotective campus environments and the impacts on the younger generation.
Discussions in the book intertwine protests at Evergreen State College and comments from Professor Brett Weinstein, showcasing a magnification of students' responses. The book underplays the severity of right-wing backlash, including swastikas, online doxxing, and hate group activities.
The book contrasts student protests over social injustices with entrenched right-wing violence and intimidation tactics, where students face threats, attacks, and neo-Nazi propaganda. Despite real-life dangers, the book amplifies student actions while downplaying extreme right-wing behaviors.
The book delves into societal shifts affecting children, like decreasing unsupervised play, while striving to propose solutions for raising wiser children. It navigates between practical tips like limiting screen time to lofty notions of moral complexity within individuals.
Reflecting on the age-old tradition of criticizing younger generations, the book's narratives showcase a recurring pattern of generational critique and misrepresentation. The cyclical nature of complaint and misunderstanding echoes historic sentiments towards youth, posing questions on genuine societal challenges versus generational interpretations.
TRIGGER WARNING: if you're a SNOWFLAKE college professor afraid of how your students are expressing themselves, you might need a SAFE SPACE, because Michael and Peter are discussing "The Coddling of The American Mind," a book about campus culture that's light on facts and heavy on cherry-picked anecdotes.
CORRECTION: The Socrates quote mentioned at the end of this episode is apocryphal. We thank the listeners who pointed this out for refusing to coddle our American minds.
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