I’m triggered, and you should be, too.
Lately, I find myself doomscrolling on TikTok, mostly to disconnect, but sometimes to stay engaged (oxymoronic much?). And if you know me, you know I can never resist the comment section. It’s a skill I need to develop, because even the cutest dog videos can have some of the most toxic comments below them, and once the topic even slightly drifts toward something “important,” the floodgates open.
During one such scrolling session, I was watching a video about something I consider to be important, and so, as usual, I delved into the comments section. A couple of comments in, there was one really well-written comment agreeing with the video, and I liked it and opened up the subcomments (social media is like a Russian doll at this point). There were various opinions being shared, and then I came across one that read: “I’m not reading all of that. Happy to know that we’ve got you so triggered, though…”
And there it was. A comment combining anti-intellectualism, dehumanization, and a dismissive attitude all in one, using the Internet’s default language: snark. There was nothing unusual about this comment; you can find similar ones scattered across various platforms and spaces.
And that, I believe, is a problem. We are so accustomed to dismissing and devaluing people we disagree with, trying to make them feel small while gaining laughs and likes along the way. And usually, it is because that person is triggered, uncomfortable with sincerity in a time where clickbait and outright fake news abound. It’s easier to believe a comfortable lie, and to disparage those who put in the time and work to actually understand. We are so concerned with the freedom of our speech that we loosen the ropes on the accuracy, depth, and nuance of it.
In this era, as we continue fighting all the -isms and -phobias, we often encounter and try to incorporate logic-based retorts. We know that if anyone can disprove or even challenge one small part of our approach, we will be dismissed and criticized instead of being engaged or invited to a conversation to understand how our thinking can be broadened. For many, it stops them from sharing brilliant, if perhaps underdeveloped, ideas. Discourse is no longer the goal, only resolute certainty. Uncertainty makes us uneasy rather than curious, and so we cover ourselves with half-baked lies that at least keep us comfortable.
I have long believed that those who try to suppress emotions, both in themselves and others, are doing everyone a disservice. Logic and rationality without emotion are cold and cruel. Statistics without context are used to justify damaging ideals and actions. Humans have emotions, and they are useful to us. They add color to the black-and-white logic of life. Emotions are necessary, and only our reactions can truly be judged. Without emotions and feelings, how are we different from AI, other than our flesh, blood, and bones? And that’s no knock to AI, but losing our humanity at a time when machines can think for us is both lazy and dangerous.
It’s okay to care about things. To see something and to feel joy, wonder, anger, or sadness. It’s okay to express those emotions. And while people have the right, the freedom, to mock or dismiss you for it, more the pity on them for doing so.
And yet, while I believe in and praise the value of vulnerability, I’m not always the best at expressing it. But I am committed to doing better, if only to show others that it’s okay. Express! Emote! Get worked up! Share your feelings! We are not in this alone, and we don’t have to pretend to be robots to earn respect.
Sometimes I see a post, hear a comment, or have an encounter, and I am emotionally triggered. That’s okay. It keeps my humanity on display, and on a very basic level, that is all I have. I am sensitive, and I refuse to see that as a weakness. I feel a lot, and very deeply. I relish it, even when it’s messy or inconvenient. Even when someone wants to use that to dismiss me. Those emotions make it easier to connect with others rather than push them all away with snark and derision. I find people and spaces that I resonate with, that fuel my energy instead of draining it and turning it into something negative. No one calls you triggered for being happy or joyful. But, as seen in one of my favorite movies, Inside Out, *all* of our emotions are important and useful. When we are “triggered,” it’s usually because of something causing fear, anger, sadness, discomfort, etc. Those are not pleasant emotions, but they are crucial to examine. They let us know that something isn’t right. They are clues that we need to examine and not push away. They help us to discover what needs our attention. Being triggered prompts us to understand that things can be different, and to speak up for something better.
I am often triggered, and you should be, too. It’s what keeps us human and connected.
