|
Reader question: Please explain the term “trigger warning”. My comments: Content warning, in other words. “Trigger warning” is a relatively new term, an Internet-era coinage, something largely unheard of 20 years ago. Anyways, today, at the beginning of a story online, we often see a content warning, such as this: Warning: This interview contains strong language (i.e. curse words which may be unsuitable for children). Or this: Warning: This video may contain violence and graphics that are not suitable for people with heart conditions. In the second case, that content warning is a trigger warning. Trigger? Trigger, as in “pull the trigger” to fire a gunshot. Literally, trigger warning is a warning against certain language or image that may trigger some reaction in the viewer, usually something unpleasant. For example, people with heart conditions may not be suitable to watch a film of extreme violence, which may give them a heart attack. Hence, a warning before hand is helpful and may do a great deal of good. They may choose to stop or at least they are alerted and may get mentally prepared if they choose to go on watching. Or someone who has a traumatic childhood may find it difficult to watch a film or view a picture of children being beaten by adults. It may cause them incontrollable pain. | 
