The Coddling of the American Mind Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Who are Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff?

Jonathan Haidt & Greg Lukianoff

Who reviewed Moira Weigel's review in The Guardian?

Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic

What are the 3 Great Untruths?

The Untruth of Fragility: Avoid pain

The Untruth of Emotional Reasoning: Always trust your feelings

The Untruth of Us vs Them: Life is a battle between good people and evil people

All of the above (correct)

What are the impacts of the Great Untruths?

They contradict wisdom literature, modern psychological research on well-being, and harm individuals and communities. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Greg Lukianoff?

A First Amendment lawyer; head of the FIRE Foundation of Individual Rights in Education. Signup and view all the answers

What trend emerged on campuses in 2013?

Students became the sources of censorship. Signup and view all the answers

What are students' current censorship arguments?

They were medicalized; students complained about triggering materials that made them feel unsafe. Signup and view all the answers

When were the canon wars?

1990s. Signup and view all the answers

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

A type of psychotherapy that challenges negative patterns of thought. Signup and view all the answers

What was an important discovery by CBT?

That eliminating cognitive distortions makes people less depressed and anxious. Signup and view all the answers

What is Greg's theory about students' demands for protection from speech?

Students unwittingly learned cognitive distortions that CBT tries to correct. Signup and view all the answers

Where does the term 'Matrix' come from?

William Gibson's novel Neuromancer. Signup and view all the answers

Where was the idea of safetyism first explored?

In 2015 in The Atlantic. Signup and view all the answers

What is affective partisan polarization?

The demonization of the other party—an intense dislike that makes compromise harder. Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of CBT?

To minimize distorted thinking and see the world more accurately. Signup and view all the answers

Match the following cognitive distortions with their definitions:

Mind Reading = Assuming you know what people think without sufficient evidence Fortune-Telling = You predict the future negatively Catastrophizing = You believe that what has happened will be unbearable Labeling = You assign global negative traits to yourself and others Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of an increased focus on microaggressions coupled with an endorsement of emotional reasoning?

A formula for a constant state of outrage even toward well-meaning speakers trying to engage in genuine discussion. Signup and view all the answers

What should universities do to balance freedom of speech with student safety?

Talk openly about the need to balance freedom of speech with the need to make all students feel welcome. Signup and view all the answers

What is Haidt's attitude toward trigger warnings?

They should be actively discouraged. Signup and view all the answers

What was the deadliest mass shooting in US history?

Orlando 49 June 2016; then Las Vegas 58 October 2017. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between common humanity politics and common enemy politics?

Bigger circle groupings—drawing a circle large enough to include all vs. drawing a circle that excludes (us vs. them). Signup and view all the answers

What is distributive justice?

The perception that people are getting what is deserved. Signup and view all the answers

What is procedural justice?

The perception that the process by which things are distributed and rules are enforced is both fair and trustworthy. Signup and view all the answers

What is equity theory?

Things are perceived to be fair when the ratio of outcomes to inputs is equal for all participants. Signup and view all the answers

What is proportional procedural social justice?

When social justice is fully consistent with both procedural and distributive fairness. Signup and view all the answers

What is equal outcomes social justice?

Social justice enacted according to equity theory, when justice is pursued regarding group outcomes. Signup and view all the answers

What are the six explanatory threads that intersect to create the culture of safetyism and its three great untruths?

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Study Notes

Key Authors and Reviews

Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff explore themes of identity politics and mental well-being.
Moira Weigel's review argues for viewing Martin Luther King's vision of equality as a pathway to progress rather than an endpoint.

The Great Untruths

Three main untruths identified:
- Fragility: The belief that one should avoid pain.
- Emotional reasoning: Trusting feelings over rational thought.
- Us vs. them mentality: Viewing life as a struggle between good and evil.

Impacts of the Great Untruths

These beliefs contradict established wisdom and psychological findings, ultimately harming individuals and communities.

Greg Lukianoff

A First Amendment lawyer, head of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).

Campus Censorship Trends

Shift observed in 2013: Censorship previously led by administrations now driven by student demands.
Students express concerns over material perceived as triggering or unsafe, showing a shift towards viewing themselves as fragile.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT focuses on challenging negative thought patterns to alter behavior and address mood disorders.
Discoveries show that correcting cognitive distortions decreases anxiety and depression.

Cognitive Distortions

Key distortions discussed in CBT:
- Mind Reading: Assuming knowledge of others' thoughts without evidence.
- Fortune-Telling: Predicting negative outcomes about the future.
- Catastrophizing: Expecting the worst-case scenario in situations.
- Labeling: Assigning negative traits based on singular experiences.
- Discounting Positives: Ignoring positive aspects by trivializing them.
- Negative Filtering: Focusing primarily on negatives, overlooking positives.
- Overgeneralizing: Drawing broad conclusions from a single incident.
- Dichotomous Thinking: Viewing situations in black and white terms.
- Blaming: Attributing one’s negative feelings to others.
- "What if?" Thinking: Persistently questioning worst-case scenarios.
- Emotional Reasoning: Letting feelings dictate reality.
- Inability to Disconfirm: Rejecting evidence that contradicts negative thoughts.

Effects of Microaggressions and Emotional Reasoning

Increased focus on microaggressions alongside emotional reasoning fuels outrage, even towards those with noble intentions.

Recommendations for Universities

Encourage discussions about balancing freedom of speech with inclusivity to foster a tolerant community.
Recommend discouragement of trigger warnings, emphasizing the importance of challenging students intellectually.

Common humanity politics seeks inclusivity, while common enemy politics creates divisions.
Distributive justice refers to perceptions of fairness in outcomes, while procedural justice addresses the fairness of processes involved.
Equity theory posits fairness through equal outcomes to inputs ratio.
Proportional procedural social justice integrates fairness in both process and outcome, while equal outcomes social justice aligns equity theory with group results.

Extremism in Context

Orlando shooting (49 fatalities, June 2016) and Las Vegas shooting (58 fatalities, October 2017) marked significant tragedies in U.S. history.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts and authors from 'The Coddling of the American Mind' by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff. This quiz includes significant terms and reviews from various publications, exploring the themes of identity politics and common humanity. Perfect for anyone interested in the discussions around modern societal issues.