Safe Spaces

I'll admit it, there are some people in my generation that are far too sensitive. There are many that, in my opinion, do need to grow more of a spine and accept the fact that there are things and people in the world that are bound to upset you. Conflict is a part of life, differing opinions are a part of life, and offensive rhetoric is, yes, a part of life. On paper, I understand the mentality behind safe spaces. They want to provide a sanctuary where hate is not welcome, they want to foster an environment of inclusion and acceptance, but unfortunately, that purpose is often self defeated by an increasingly broadening definition of what constitutes "hate speech" or "triggers". Don't get me wrong, hate speech and triggers are very real, but I don't think the answer is to shut ourselves out from them all together. I think that simply isn't the way to combat toxic ideology. I think that the key to combating hate speech isn't running away from it, it is confronting it and exposing it for what it really is. That doesn't mean giving it a platform, it means allowing individuals to make their case and for us as a society to either accept what they are putting out as a valid point, or reject it for the toxic rhetoric that it could also be. It should also be said that overly sensitive millennials aren't nearly as common as some people are making them out to be. I actually have a perfect example of how millennials aren't as soft and sensitive as some people think: there was an instance in one of my classes (at a university, one of the institutions that so many think are the hotbed of liberal intolerance of differing opinions) when one of my classmates came to class wearing one of the iconic "make America great again" red hats. What do you think happened? Do you think the other students attacked the individual in the MAGA hat? Do you think they threw a tantrum and demanded that he take it off? Do you think they went so far as to file a formal complaint with the university? No. To put it quite plainly, and excuse the vulgarity but, nobody gave a single flying fuck. We all recognized that what that student decided to put on his head was entirely his business. Nobody even said a word about it because they just simply didn't care, they focused on the class, and went on with their lives as normal. I can think of many other instances of people my age disproving the stereotype that we are all entitled and oversensitive, but at the same time, again, I'll admit that there are a few instances of that being the case. However, the answer isn't to, on the part of the older generation, mercilessly berate people of my generation, nor is it, on the part of my generation, to shut out all opposing or offensive viewpoints. In my opinion, the answer is, unpleasant and unfathomable as it may be, to actually have dialogue. Yes, the answer is to *gasp!* talk things out. We can't be afraid of conflict, but we also can't berate an entire generation based on stereotypical views obtained from cherry picking a few instances that fit the narrative. Again, I get the mentality behind "safe spaces" and I think there are some contexts where they would be fitting and beneficial, but we need to constantly remind ourselves that we can't make offensive viewpoints and rhetoric go away by avoiding it. The only way to truly combat and stamp out bigotry is to confront it.