Christians can be unintentionally funny. :)
Christians can be unintentionally funny. :)
A brief summary of the thesis of the book:
In “The Coddling of the American Mind” by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, the concept of antifragility is discussed in relation to how individuals, particularly young people, can grow from facing challenges rather than being overly protected. Here are the key points regarding antifragility from the book:
Antifragility vs. Fragility: The authors argue that humans, especially in developmental stages, are not merely resilient but can be considered antifragile. This means they grow stronger through exposure to stressors, challenges, and failures—contrasting with the ‘Untruth of Fragility’ which suggests that adversity makes one weaker.
The Need for Exposure to Discomfort: They emphasize the importance of exposing children and young adults to ideas and experiences that might be uncomfortable or challenging. This exposure is vital for intellectual and emotional growth, akin to how physical exercise strengthens muscles.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is presented as a tool for fostering antifragility by teaching individuals to confront and reframe negative thoughts, thereby turning potentially harmful stress into opportunities for growth. The book suggests CBT practices help combat anxiety and depression by encouraging engagement with, rather than avoidance of, difficult situations.
Preparation for Adversity: The authors critique the trend towards “safetyism,” where discomfort is equated with danger. Instead, they advocate for preparing individuals for the “road” rather than “preparing the road for the child,” meaning teaching people to handle adversity rather than removing all obstacles from their path.
Free Speech and Intellectual Challenge: They argue that universities should be places where students are exposed to a diversity of viewpoints, even those they might find offensive or challenging, as this exposure can lead to stronger, more robust thinking and an antifragile mindset. This is counter to the culture of safe spaces and trigger warnings if used to avoid all forms of discomfort.
Learning from Failure: The book highlights the importance of failure as a learning opportunity. Rather than shielding people from failure, which would make them fragile, experiencing and learning from failure can make them antifragile, better equipped to handle future challenges.
These points collectively argue for an educational and societal approach that nurtures antifragility by encouraging exposure to and mastery over life’s inevitable stresses and disagreements rather than fostering an environment of overprotection.
We have been catering to unstable fragile people for far – far – too long. Let’s hope and do what we can to ensure this trend continues.
“Then there was the American author, Hesse Phillips, who apparently uses “she/they” pronouns. “This decision was not taken lightly,” she/they declared in a lengthy statement this week. “I’ve conferred with other queer and trans authors, cis and straight authors, friends and family, and in the end I feel that stepping down from my panel is the only way forward, both for my personal safety and my conscience.”
At one level, it’s hard to take this nonsense seriously. But the reference to “personal safety” implies that the mere presence of gender-critical authors in the same city as adherents of the cult of identity politics puts the latter in danger. It’s a disgraceful slur, as is the suggestion that Joyce and Bindel are calling for the “eradication of an entire class of human beings”. Phillips has also smeared the organisers of the festival, accusing them of prioritising “hate speech over the safety of LGBTQ+ speakers and attendees”. It’s intended, I suspect, as a warning to other festivals of what to expect if they dare to platform heretics.
Pressure has worked far too often. Last year the Hay and Edinburgh book festivals announced they were suspending sponsorship from a company deemed unacceptable by activists against climate change and Israel’s conflict in Gaza. The Cheltenham Literature Festival went so far as to compare a belief in biological sex with racism and homophobia. The bullies appeared to be firmly in charge, as organisers in effect ceded a veto to groups of people who regard themselves as more important than anyone else.
Signs that the mood is changing, swinging against censorship disguised as inclusion, has evidently come as a shock. When gender warriors obsess about threats to their “safety”, they’re actually revealing that they can’t bear to be challenged. They’ve got used to mixing with people who stroke their egos and don’t question the ludicrous claim that their lives are in danger.”
It’s the biggest crime—and cover-up—in British history. And most people, at least until recently, haven’t even heard of it.
Thousands of young girls, mostly children, were systematically groomed and raped by immigrant gangs across the UK over a period of decades. Police turned the girls away. Detectives were discouraged from investigating. Politicians and prosecutors did their best to sweep it under the rug. Journalists skipped the biggest story of their lives. A culture of silence enveloped the United Kingdom. Why?
Today, we talk to two women who spoke out years ago about what was happening while nearly everyone looked the other way: the British feminist and author Julie Bindel, and the author and activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Both took tremendous risks in highlighting the story while the legacy press largely looked away. Bindel is the author, most recently, of Feminism for Women and writes a popular Substack column. Hirsi Ali, a Free Press contributor, is the author of numerous books on radical islam, including Prey: Immigration, Islam, and the Erosion of Women’s Rights, which helped bring attention to the grooming gangs scandal in 2021.
Julie and Ayaan explain today what happened, how these rapes and murders were covered up in the name of preserving “social harmony,” how it’s still happening, why Elon Musk is suddenly tweeting furiously about it and how Britain’s ruling class is being forced to reckon with a scandal it had, until recently, successfully ignored.
It’s a story about “tolerance” run amok, and how a civilized country can convince itself to accept the most uncivilized crimes imaginable.
Hegel’s assertion in modern times:
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
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