I have gotten back into reading for fun and I love it! I have read a bunch of great books. The issue is, so many books have triggering content in them now adays. It is really triggering to read a book, to get invested in characters, then to read that. Is there a place I can check if the book includes something triggering?

  • shaunibauni@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    I’ve never been triggered reading a book. What kind of triggers are you talking about?

    • Flammwar@alien.topB
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      10 months ago

      That’s such a dumb argument. Just because it was like that in the past doesn’t mean it was better.

      • Squidinterface@alien.topB
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        10 months ago

        I didn’t say it was better. That’s just the way it was. Trigger warnings are stupid, though. Deal with your shit.

        • Flammwar@alien.topB
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          10 months ago

          Then why do you care if it wasn’t better back then? I don’t need them but I have enough empathy to understand that others might.

  • jmarsh642@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    Common sense media can be helpful

    Or Goodreads where you can connect with friends or other that have read the book

  • mint_pumpkins@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    Some books have content warnings in the front or back of the book. And some authors post content warnings on websites or even in reviews of their own books. You can also always search on Reddit and other social media to see if anyone has mentioned anything. There’s also a website called Does the Dog Die where they list content that is commonly triggering for various kinds of media! When all else fails you can ask on Reddit and see if people can give you an answer :)

  • nancy-reisswolf@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    The issue is, so many books have triggering content in them nowadays.

    Not more than they ever have.

    I’d recommend making a specific list of your triggers, coming up with a lot of common phrases that go along with them and then running your ebook version through a search for all of those terms and words so you know you can steer clear.

    • bofh000@alien.topB
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      10 months ago

      Maybe I would’ve used “dense”, instead of soft, but I suppose “soft” applies too when someone feels the need to unnecessarily put down another person for their potentially traumatic life experiences. I suppose it does make them feel more powerful.

  • Flammwar@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    Why does such a seemingly harmless question always spark such a dumb debate? Would you really recommend that a veteran with severe PTSD read a war novel? Why do you think that would help them deal with their problems on their own? Therapy exists because it’s so hard to deal with your own problems.

    If someone doesn’t want to read fantasy, you can accept that, but if someone doesn’t want to read about certain topics, that’s suddenly a big deal. I really don’t see the difference here.

  • manjamanga@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    Triggering to what? Do you have a specific anxiety or post-traumatic condition?

    Nothing is “triggering” in a general sense. Some things might trigger some specific response for some specific people. As in, a book where spiders appear might trigger a stress response from someone who suffers from arachnophobia.

    It’s impossible to track all the possible responses people might have to each piece of literature.

    If you just want to shelter yourself from potentially disturbing literature, that’s a choice you can make, but using the term “triggering” isn’t really accurate or appropriate. And don’t be surprised if doing so further tenderizes your sensitivities.

  • expatriape@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    I’m going to go out on a limb and recommend that you don’t read Blood Meridian…

  • Dramatic-Tone7370@alien.topB
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    10 months ago

    This is such a useful question! I’ve recently gone through cancer treatment and wow there are cancer story lines in so many books/ other media. It was a really big struggle for me and I’d have to rely on friends and family to let me know if I’d be triggered.