There’s at least 3 types of psychological “safe spaces”:
1. We’ll protect you. We’ll make sure there’s nothing in the space that can actively touch your wounds. This is a place to heal with plenty of sunshine and water. Anyone who’s in this space is agreeing to be extra careful to not poke any wounds, and the space will actively expel anyone who does. Most liberal arts colleges are trying to achieve this sort of safety.
2. Own your safety. There may or may not be things in this space that can actively touch your wounds. You’re expected to do what’s necessary to protect them, up to and including leaving the space if need be. You have an active right to know your own boundaries and participate or not as needed. Many self-help groups are looking to achieve this sort of safety.
3. We’ll make you grow. This space is meant to poke at your wounds, but only to make you grow. We’ll probably waterboard the shit out of you, but we won’t let you drown. Anyone who’s too fragile for this environment should enter at their own peril. This is Bridgewater, certain parts of the US Military, and other DDOs.
This is a half formed thought that seems to ping enough of my other important concepts that it seems worth sharing. Which one you think should be default relates a lot to how you view the world
ON SAFE SPACES
There’s at least 3 types of psychological “safe spaces”:
1. We’ll protect you.
We’ll make sure there’s nothing in the space that can actively touch your wounds. This is a place to heal with plenty of sunshine and water. Anyone who’s in this space is agreeing to be extra careful to not poke any wounds, and the space will actively expel anyone who does. Most liberal arts colleges are trying to achieve this sort of safety.
2. Own your safety.
There may or may not be things in this space that can actively touch your wounds. You’re expected to do what’s necessary to protect them, up to and including leaving the space if need be. You have an active right to know your own boundaries and participate or not as needed. Many self-help groups are looking to achieve this sort of safety.
3. We’ll make you grow.
This space is meant to poke at your wounds, but only to make you grow. We’ll probably waterboard the shit out of you, but we won’t let you drown. Anyone who’s too fragile for this environment should enter at their own peril. This is Bridgewater, certain parts of the US Military, and other DDOs.
This is a half formed thought that seems to ping enough of my other important concepts that it seems worth sharing. Which one you think should be default relates a lot to how you view the world
It relates to:
- Why you would choose decoupling vs. contextualizing norms (https://www.lesswrong.com/…/decoupling-vs-contextualising-n…)
- Why you would allow or not allow punch bug (https://medium.com/@Th…/in-defense-of-punch-bug-68fcec56cd6b)
-Whether you want to protect Cluess, Losers, or Sociopaths (https://www.ribbonfarm.com/…/the-gervais-principle-or-the-…/)
- The left/right culture war.