In recent years, trigger warnings have become commonplace in classrooms, media, and even casual conversations, aiming to protect individuals from content that could provoke painful memories or discomfort. This movement began with good intentions, a way to create a compassionate and considerate environment. However, critics from various fields, including psychology, media, and literature, have voiced concerns over whether trigger warnings are having the opposite effect, hindering resilience, suppressing intellectual growth, and fostering a culture of fragility.
Psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw, known for his direct approach to life’s challenges, has spoken out on the topic. In a 2024 episode of Dr. Phil Primetime, he observed, “The world isn’t going to cater to your sensitivities, and if you can’t learn to navigate discomfort, you’re missing out on a key part of growth. Life is about facing what’s hard, not hiding from it.” Dr. Phil argues that by encouraging people to avoid discomfort, trigger warnings can stifle emotional resilience, leaving individuals ill-prepared for real-world adversities. Studies back this up; a 2018 study published in Psychological Science found that trigger warnings were not effective in reducing emotional distress and, in some cases, heightened anticipatory anxiety.
Many psychologists and educators agree with Dr. Phil’s perspective, noting that when individuals avoid difficult topics, they risk building an identity around past trauma rather than overcoming it. This phenomenon is sometimes called “trauma centrality,” a fixation on past pain that often becomes an obstacle to future growth. One 2023 meta-analysis suggests that trigger warnings can unintentionally reinforce the belief that trauma defines an individual, rather than being a challenge to be overcome. Critics fear that these warnings promote over-protection rather than empowering individuals with the skills to engage with and overcome discomfort.
Famed author C.S. Lewis once warned about the perils of comfort over courage, and it’s easy to imagine how he might have responded to the prevalence of trigger warnings today. In his classic work The Screwtape Letters, Lewis offers a satirical look at human weaknesses through the fictional letters of Screwtape, a senior demon instructing his nephew Wormwood on how best to corrupt a human “patient.” Inspired by Lewis, here’s how Screwtape might have encouraged the use of trigger warnings as a devilish tool:
Reimagined Screwtape letter
My dear Wormwood,
I am most pleased to see your progress in the subtle, most delectable art of weakening the Enemy’s humans. Your proposal to introduce what they call “trigger warnings” is brilliant in its potential. Do you realize how these seemingly innocent warnings might be used to our advantage? They appear, at first glance, considerate, protective, even virtuous! Ah, but therein lies their power, dear boy.
Encourage your patient to think of himself as too fragile to confront uncomfortable truths. Instill in him the belief that his emotions are to be safeguarded from challenge at all costs. Convince him that the very essence of growth—facing what is difficult, uncomfortable, or even painful—is a violation of his delicate state. It’s a deliciously backward notion, and I trust you will exploit it thoroughly.
If the Enemy teaches that strength is cultivated by enduring hardship, then we, of course, must lead them to seek comfort in fragility. Let them become so ensnared in the idea that discomfort is dangerous, that they begin to avoid every topic or encounter that might unsettle them. Whisper to them that their worth is bound to their past pain, and that revisiting it, even indirectly, is nothing short of cruelty. Oh, how soft they will become, Wormwood, when we have kept them from the rugged terrain where real resilience is found!
Do you see, Wormwood? Trigger warnings, dressed in the garb of caution and care, have the splendid power to isolate, weaken, and render each mind a prisoner to its own anxieties. With a little work, they’ll reject not only challenging books or difficult conversations but also the humans and the ideas that carry them. Perfect! They shall not grow, for they will shield themselves from growth, and they shall not engage, for they will believe themselves “safe” only among those who echo their sentiments.
Imagine, dear Wormwood, a society where all meaningful discourse dwindles to whispers of self-affirmation, and every challenge is met not with courage but with a retreat to safety. They will crave comfort over truth, silence over discovery, and passivity over courage. Yes, do press forward, dear nephew. There’s much more fragility yet to nurture.
Your affectionate uncle,
Screwtape
More resilient society
In this reimagined letter, Screwtape counsels his young nephew Wormwood on the subtle power of trigger warnings as tools to foster fragility and self-censorship. He encourages Wormwood to promote these warnings as safeguards, knowing full well that they isolate humans from the very challenges that build resilience and character. By convincing people that discomfort is to be feared and avoided, Screwtape aims to keep them ever focused on their sensitivities, turning them away from true growth and strength.
Screwtape reveals his ultimate goal: a society of individuals who, afraid of confronting uncomfortable truths, cocoon themselves in safety and silence. Through this strategy, Screwtape and Wormwood hope to weaken their patients not through direct temptation, but by nurturing in them a quiet and willing fragility. For Screwtape, trigger warnings are merely another device to sow isolation and retreat, keeping humans from engaging in the very struggles that lead to courage and fortitude.
So, what can we do to break free from this culture of self-censorship?
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Embrace Discomfort: Growth comes from facing what is difficult. Avoiding discomfort may provide short-term relief, but it will not strengthen or prepare you for life’s challenges. Embrace discomfort as a teacher rather than a threat.
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Encourage Open Dialogue: Foster environments where people are free to express diverse perspectives. Avoiding challenging conversations may feel safe, but it limits intellectual and emotional growth.
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Redefine Resilience: Build a society that values inner strength and emotional maturity over comfort. Resilience means confronting difficulty, not avoiding it, and understanding that true well-being comes from facing challenges with courage.
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Cultivate Curiosity Over Fear: Shielding oneself from the unknown or uncomfortable ideas stifles curiosity. Seek out diverse ideas and perspectives, even if they challenge your beliefs, and embrace the learning process that comes with it.
Trigger warnings began with the intention of compassion, but as a widespread practice, they risk undermining resilience, curiosity, and growth. Let us consider Screwtape’s warning and recognize that true strength is not in the avoidance of discomfort but in the courage to face it head-on.
Sources:
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Dr. Phil McGraw on Trigger Warnings
Dr. Phil Primetime, 2024. For Dr. Phil’s views on the impact of overprotection in today’s culture, see his segment on the risks of trigger warnings and promoting resilience:
Dr. Phil Destroys Gen Z Trigger Warning Culture: Are We Overprotecting? -
Psychological Research on Trigger Warnings
Psychological Science, 2018. This study found that trigger warnings did not reduce distress and, in some cases, increased anticipatory anxiety. Read the full study here:
The Data Is In: Trigger Warnings Don’t Work -
Meta-Analysis of Trigger Warning Impact
Clinical Psychological Science, 2023. A comprehensive meta-analysis found that trigger warnings have minimal impact on emotional responses and can reinforce trauma centrality, potentially hindering recovery. Access the study here:
Meta-Analysis of Trigger Warnings on Emotional Responses
For Further Reading:
- The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Lewis’s classic satirical work provides insight into human nature and weakness through the fictional letters of Screwtape, a senior demon advising his nephew. This imagined letter about trigger warnings draws on the themes Lewis explores in this profound and witty exploration of moral psychology.
Find The Screwtape Letters here
