Warning: Made in a facility that also processes swear words

The other day, we saw a short article, in Zeit Online if we recall correctly, on proposals to label literature, to warn readers of gory, abusive, violent scenes and the like.

The New York Times wrote about it a week or so before Die Zeit did.

The faultlines in the fray run along the expected concepts, with free speech advocates here, leftie punching snickering, well meaning students and so on.

While the New York Times does a nice job in providing a thoughtful article, the nature of the subject is such an easy target for ridicule that we are certain it will splash around the world a few times before it dies down.

The K-Landnews approach to lit, life and everything comes as the question: will this do harm?

If "trigger warnings" become a policy, out answer would be yes. See the end of the NY Times article for reasons we more or less share.

If trigger warnings are simply suggestions or up to teachers and faculty, where is the harm in that?

You could argue that voluntary warnings might have a chilling effect, might create an atmosphere in which teachers felt compelled to put out warnings for the usual reasons, in particular fears about their career prospects.

But this would be where teachers should toughen up, not students.

A sentence of two on the first day of a lecture should suffice.

If you do want triggers warnings, start with the bible.

Since we are simpatico people, we'll use the label Warning: Made in a facility that also processes swear words as appropriate.