When my late husband was killed by a drunk driver, life didn’t give me trigger warnings. I still saw car accidents on the news, in the paper, and while driving. When I was raped, life didn’t offer me trigger warnings. I still read about rape, still heard about it, it was still around me. Needless to say, I’m against them. For the most part. I am firmly behind trigger warnings for videos of any sort that contain strobe lights.

Trigger warnings, weaken us. We develop thin skin, and become spoiled. We start expecting to be catered to more often. Life is surprising, it’s horrifying, inconsistent, and unfair. We should learn how to deal with the tough times in a brain-strengthening way. We need to expect to be uncomfortable, and stop expecting life to warn us about any potential upset. Who do we think we are?

We grow as individuals, when we learn how to handle uncomfortable, even hurtful, situations. When we realize that the world doesn’t revolve around us, we can become better people. We learn to rationalize, and to cope with life in a healthier way. We become more content, we’re more enjoyable to be around. We become less selfish.