Todays society - snowflakes

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

In the real world,I have never heard anyone use that term in this country once. However,I remember seeing the term being used first in the US,especially in the comments sections of US news websites like the Washington Post and Breitbart and American political YouTube channels.

It was basically used as a political insult word by a bunch of people in the US trying to fight each other during political discussions,with each lot called themselves "left/liberal/socialist/communist" or "right/conservative/religious" followed by "snowflake" when you would have to be smoking pot or in some reality distortion field to think the US is a "socialist/communist state". Its like saying China is "socialist". The other term is SJW.

This is just an example of how Americanisms are just quietly creeping into our language,but actually lose some of their original context when they land over here.

Is it more of a USA thing?

Yep.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowflake_(slang)

[TeePee]

These campus/university 'safe space' things...has anyone ever actually seen one? I've spent the best part of the last decade at a couple of different universities and I've never so much as heard reference to one.

Is it more of a USA thing? Is it because I tend to avoid the student politics brigade like the plague? Is it just one of those jokes that gets thrown around when a politician needs to do a bit of student bashing?

It is less common in the UK, but has certainly been an issue. One particular incident comes to mind:

http://www.independent.co.uk/student...-a6760306.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-speech-rhodes

[outwar6010]

I just feel like people these days online hide behind anonymity and choose to get off on being edgy and incredibly offensive. If they are called out they throw out words like snowflake to try to turn things on the people calling them out.

Safe spaces exist, so people of colour can talk about their issues and experiences, without the fear of those, who haven't experienced these things downplaying certain issues.

Here's the guy who uses the term snow flake more than anyone else in the uk, becoming the term.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entr...b01ce33eb2b38f

[Butcher]

It strikes me that in the western world we actually treat people incredibly fairly, and this is coming from someone who works worldwide, has seen and experienced my fair share of blatant discrimination and has had to overcome it to achieve my goals... yes thats right, I have been treated a certain way because of the way I talk and the colour of my skin... but no I'm white and male... so my individual life experiences are irrelevant and there is some other explanation for sure.

There's a theory that people shout more when the level of inequality is lower. The smaller the difference, the more it is magnified. So the very fact that the shouting has gotten louder is perhaps an indication that things are actually getting better, as bizarre as that may seem.

[outwar6010]

There's a theory that people shout more when the level of inequality is lower. The smaller the difference, the more it is magnified. So the very fact that the shouting has gotten louder is perhaps an indication that things are actually getting better, as bizarre as that may seem.

People's reasoning for voting brexit would suggest that's not true. I remember seeing the aftermath of the first 24 hours after the brexit won and there were over a hundred incidences of violent crime and harassment of Europeans and minorities. I remember a friend messaging me someones facebook post, where they were able to compile all of these and it was horrific. People being bottled, others being followed by bigoted morons screaming that Muslims will need to go home and all sorts.

[peterb]

(Anti) Social media has made the establishment of ‘bandwagons’ easier and more public. Some might say that is true democracy giving a voice to everyone, others might argue that it brings out the more selfish and self centred aspects of society, and is a self selecting process.

[Biscuit]

In the real world,I have never heard anyone use that term in this country once. However,I remember seeing the term being used first in the US,especially in the comments sections of US news websites like the Washington Post and Breitbart and American political YouTube channels.

It was basically used as a political insult word by a bunch of people in the US trying to fight each other during political discussions,with each lot called themselves "left/liberal/socialist/communist" or "right/conservative/religious" followed by "snowflake" when you would have to be smoking pot or in some reality distortion field to think the US is a "socialist/communist state". Its like saying China is "socialist". The other term is SJW.

This is just an example of how Americanisms are just quietly creeping into our language,but actually lose some of their original context when they land over here.



Yep.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowflake_(slang)

In the UK we seem to just deplatform speakers because they have opinions we dont agree with. Richard Dawkins being the most high profile one that spings to mind.

AFAIC, if someone has an opinion you don't like, you should challenge them on it, not brush them aside. This is especially baffling in universities where kids should be learning how to take on the big bad world.

[Biscuit]

ISafe spaces exist, so people of colour can talk about their issues and experiences, without the fear of those, who haven't experienced these things downplaying certain issues.

Yeah... sort of...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9SiRNibD14

Lets "de-colonise" the sciences...

The path to hell is paved with good intentions.

[outwar6010]

Yeah... sort of...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9SiRNibD14

Lets "de-colonise" the sciences...

The path to hell is paved with good intentions.

That video was just cringey but its important not to tar it all, by the crazy few. When used correctly it can be empowering. I think this video describes it quite well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKWImoX-PeA

[Biscuit]

That video was just cringey but its important not to tar it all, by the crazy few. When used correctly it can be empowering. I think this video describes it quite well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKWImoX-PeA

The issue isn't that I don't understand the reasoning and need someone to explain it to me, Its that I don't agree with it... at all.

[outwar6010]

The issue isn't that I don't understand the reasoning and need someone to explain it to me, Its that I don't agree with it... at all.

Why?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

In the UK we seem to just deplatform speakers because they have opinions we dont agree with. Richard Dawkins being the most high profile one that spings to mind.

AFAIC, if someone has an opinion you don't like, you should challenge them on it, not brush them aside. This is especially baffling in universities where kids should be learning how to take on the big bad world.

Actually why blame universities?? The parents created the children,so its ultimately parents who should teach them too. Universities cannot make up for the general education system which should be where this is actually taught or at least talked about. Universities are there to give you specialist education to prepare you for a career. Schools have gone too far to teach children to pass exams,so politicians can boast about it,than giving children a balanced education and parents need to be more hands on instead of using technology as a distraction,and actually listen to teachers when they give feedback.

If anything I get the impression from teachers I talked to,is that they cannot actually be honest about the little sprogs,in case they offend the parents, and this has been something that has been festering over the last 20 to 30 years.

[Biscuit]

Why?

I'm yet to really hear a sensible reason for the existence of protected speech/ideas. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that the fluffy idea of hiding away in a room and being protected from mean words is in any way good for someone who needs to deal with complicated and confrontational situations and emotions. You wont find many psychologists defending the "safe space" mentality.... she even mentions one in her own video.

For the record, in that video when she rolls her eyes at Fry's "self pity" comment, I rolled my eyes at her. Self pity is ugly and is something people should try and overcome. Why do we even need to discuss this?

And then the banging on about establishment and power.... yawn.

Its all ideological mumbo jumbo and you have to accept certain things as truths (when they are actually considerably more debatable) to then accept the following concepts.

Actually why blame universities?? The parents created the children,so its ultimately parents who should teach them. Universities cannot make up for the general education system which should be where this is actually taught. Universities are there to give you specialist education to prepare you for a career. Schools have gone too far to teach children to pass exams,so politicians can boast about it,than giving children a balanced education and parents need to be more hands on instead of using technology as a distraction,and actually listen to teachers when they give feedback.

If anything I get the impression from teachers I talked to,is that they cannot actually be honest about the little sprogs,in case they offend the parents, and this has been something that has been festering over the last 20 to 30 years.

I'm not necessarily blaming the universities per-se, but it does seem like a lot of these ideological ideas stem from the humanities dpts. of said universities.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I'm not necessarily blaming the universities per-se, but it does seem like a lot of these ideological ideas stem from the humanities dpts. of said universities.

It goes both ways though. Nick Griffin,who was leader of the BNP,studied history at Cambridge. S

In the end can people really stop vilifying universities - its bad enough funding is marginal,but more and more they are having to take up the slack of a failing general education system. I mean FFS,people are sueing universities since they couldn't get a specific grade?? Really??

That shows a bigger problem with the general education system and parents themselves. Its not universities fault if people enter university without proper basic life skills.Parents need to be more hands on,especially when children are younger. IIRC,upto age 10 to 12 children tend to generally mimic the actions and views authority figures around them,and after that age they are quite capable of criticial thinking. So ultimately parents need to be more involved and the schooling system should be geared towards preparing children more for the real world,not passing exams,which means nothing in reality unless they actually learn something from it.

Look at how many people lack basic mathematics skills,and end up in huge debt?? That is because their parents and the schooling system really should be teaching people basic skills like financial accounting,real world maths,etc so they can actually comprehend whether that mortgage or credit card or loan is worth it.

I don't blame the teachers since its politicians who increasingly set the agenda for all of this,even if a number of them(like Gove) have no clue at all what they are doing.

Then the other aspect is social media is basically infecting younger and younger people more and more,and instead of going outside and interacting with people,they end up thinking social media is the defacto realworld.

Remember,if someone is a "snow flake" going to university is not suddenly going to make them one. Its basically down to their life experiences beforehand,so the older generations really need to accept they probably have contributed to this.

[Biscuit]

It goes both ways though. Nick Griffin,who was leader of the BNP,studied history at Cambridge.

In the end can people really stop vilifying universities - its bad enough funding is marginal,but more and more they are having to take up the slack of a failing general education system. I mean FFS,people are sueing universities since they couldn't get a specific grade?? Really??

That shows a bigger problem with the general education system and parents themselves. Its not universities fault if people enter university without a proper basic education.Parents need to be more hands on,especially when children are younger. IIRC,upto age 12 children tend to generally mimic authority figures around them,and after that age they are quite capable of criticial thinking. So ultimately parents need to be more involved and the schooling system should be geared towards preparing children more for the real world,not passing exams,which means nothing in reality unless they actually learn something from it.

Remember,if someone is a "snow flake" going to university is not suddenly going to make them one. Its basically down to their life experiences beforehand,so the older generations really need to except they probably have contributed to this.

That is a fair point, but that the same time you have to accept that the age kids get to university (18-21) is that part of your life where you want to be rebellious and individual. This is a prime target for an ideology that offers you these exact things through something as simple as the language we use.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

That is a fair point, but that the same time you have to accept that the age kids get to university (18-21) is that part of your life where you want to be rebellious and individual. This is a prime target for an ideology that offers you these exact things through something as simple as the language we use.

Even going back 50 or a 100 years all sorts of movements started at universities going either way,so its not a new thing TBH.

However, I think one thing which is much more different is social media which is infecting younger people more and more. Even if the old skool internet existed when we were younger,it still was less persuasive than it is now,and the potential problems were there back then.

Also too many parents don't adminster technology well,so leave it to "distract" their children meaning it leads to issues like this:
http://metro.co.uk/2017/01/05/tech-a...nkies-6363567/

It also means children become nice little consumers influenced by companies,as it is easier to target marketing towards them more and more,and by extension that means other things too. Look at all the "fake news" feeds on social media,or horrible things like this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slender_Man_stabbing

This is why parents and the schooling system needs to ground people better,since the virtual world can be a drug,but ultimately the real world and real people needs to inform our decisions in the real world.