Want to make a subject more appealing to students? Add a ‘trigger warning’

Before you read any further, be warned that this post contains some
shockingly racy material. Well, not really – I just wanted to make
sure you read beyond the first sentence. That’s what ‘adult content’
warnings are really for. When some mediocre TV drama begins with a warning about ‘scenes of a sexual nature’, I don’t suppose I’m the only person laying aside the remote and saying ‘oh goody!’

So I’m glad to hear that the ‘faux-warning’ is being extended to the
study of religion at university. Students at Glasgow are being given
‘trigger warnings’ before being taught about the crucifixion of Jesus – more specifically, before being shown some gory film clips. Of
course this particular course will become more popular, and the study
of religion in general will become a bit more edgy and cool.

I’m also reminded of the film A Series of Unfortunate Events. If you
like happy stories, the narrator begins, about fluffy bunnies playing
in sunny meadows, then this story is not for you, for this is a tale
of woe and misery.