Posted by Tamar on June 21, 2006, at 17:01:17
In reply to Re: humor involving violence » Dr. Bob, posted by AuntieMel on June 21, 2006, at 15:52:21
Hi Auntie Mel,
> He's talking about my response to you under "Do I have to stop this car"
>
> I didn't really think of it as violence, or triggering at the time I wrote it. I'm a victim (survivor) of much much worse, which is possibly why I didn't think this was bad..I’m sorry you’ve been victimised in the past. That shouldn’t happen to anyone.
I’m a victim/survivor too. And perhaps you’ve dealt with those issues more extensively or more effectively than I have. It’s still quite a difficult issue for me. And I tend to find it’s not the details of the story that distress me so much as the themes.
When I read the story, there seemed to be a definite theme of violence, humiliation and abuse of power in an institutional context where the victims dare not complain. It’s those themes that I find triggering rather than the exact details of the story.
I know that schoolchildren of previous decades had different expectations of the institutional environment, and that violence from teachers was often considered normal and permissible. But I am happy that school kids in most schools no longer expect routine violence in the classroom.
I’m not writing this to criticise you, but to explain why I found it hard to read. I don’t expect people to have to avoid certain subjects to protect me… I’m not saying you shouldn’t mention the events of your childhood. Of course I wouldn’t want to say anything like that. But in case you didn’t understand why it might be problematic I just wanted to explain my feelings about it. I hope that’s OK.
Best wishes,
Tamar
poster:Tamar
thread:614568
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20060525/msgs/659809.html