Are you a Snowflake?

[Patrick Brown]

Quote

Generation Snowflake, or Snowflake Generation, is a neologistic term used to characterize the young adults of the 2010s as being more prone to taking offense and having less psychological resilience than previous generations, or as being too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own. The term is considered derogatory.[1][2] It is one of several informal examples of usage of the word snowflake to refer to people.

 

The term snowflake has been used to refer to children raised by their parents in ways that give them an inflated sense of their own uniqueness.[3][4][5] This usage of snowflake has been attributed to Chuck Palahniuk's 1996 novel Fight Club, and its 1999 film adaptation. Both the novel and the film include the line "You are not special. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake."[4][3][6] In January 2017, Palahniuk claimed credit for coining snowflake, adding that the young adults of the 2010s exhibit "a kind of new Victorianism".[7] An article published by Merriam-Webster stated that Palahniuk was not the first person to use snowflake metaphorically, saying, "It's the stuff of self-help books and inspirational posters and elementary school assurances. The imagery before negation is lovely; we are each unique snowflakes, each worth treasuring because each is uniquely beautiful."[8]

 

The term "Generation Snowflake", or its variant "Snowflake Generation", probably originated in the United States[5] and came into wider use in the United Kingdom in 2016[3] following the publication of Claire Fox's book I Find That Offensive!. In it she wrote about a confrontation between Yale University students and faculty Head of College, Nicholas Christakis.[9][10] The confrontation arose after Christakis' wife, Erika Christakis, a lecturer at the university, had suggested students should "relax a bit rather than labeling fancy dress Halloween costumes as culturally insensitive", according to Fox.[9] Fox described the video showing the students' reaction as a "screaming, almost hysterical mob of students".[9] Fox said the backlash to the viral video led to the disparaging moniker "generation snowflake" for the students.[9]

 

"Snowflake generation" was recognised as one of Collins Dictionary's 2016 words of the year.[11] Collins defines the term as "the young adults of the 2010s, viewed as being less resilient and more prone to taking Offense than previous generations".[11] Similarly, in 2016 the Financial Times included snowflake in their annual Year in a Word list, defining it as "a derogatory term for someone deemed too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own, particularly in universities and other forums once known for robust debate" and noting that the insult had been aimed at an entire generation.[2]

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Snowflake 

 

The term snowflake has been around for a while yet I've ignored it and didn't know what it really meant but having just researched it, it suddenly all makes sense. For the record I'm generation X which is why I'm a bit of an anarchist/anti-establishment. 

[Patrick Brown]

This is what prompted me to look up the meaning:

 

Quote

UK army recruitment ads target 'snowflake' millennials
Campaign says army could use the ‘compassion’ of ‘snowflakes’ and the ‘focus’ of phone zombies

The British army is calling on “snowflakes, selfie addicts, class clowns, phone zombies, and me, me, millennials” to join its ranks in a recruitment drive targeting young people.

The campaign, featuring posters and TV ads titled Your Army Needs You, suggests that what is seen as a weakness or a character flaw by the rest of society can in fact be seen as a strength by the army. The campaign states that the army could use the “compassion” of “snowflakes”, the “self belief” of millennials, the “confidence” of selfie takers, and the “focus” of phone zombies.

 

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jan/03/uk-army-recruitment-ads-target-snowflake-millennials

 

The "me, me, millennials" is cracking me up!  

[rideforever]

They are a product of their environment like all crops

[Patrick Brown]

I hear they tend to be quite flaky especially when put under pressure! 

[Chang]

The Army is not what it was.

[Patrick Brown]

Earl Grey you should checkout the vid I posted here it's hilarious: 

 

[Lost in Translation]

2 hours ago, Earl Grey said:

Would you believe that Gen Z (the one referred to as Snowflakes) are actually asking for MORE censorship in American university campuses and comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock will non longer do performances at universities due to students and their sensitivty?

 

This is a very sad fact, but absolutely true. I have followed this trend for several years. I used to give an annual scholarship to graduating high school seniors to help them with college expenses, but it has grown so bad that I have cancelled my scholarship. I cannot in good conscience contribute to the behaviors that I witness now and many universities. Yours is an excellent example.

[Cheshire Cat]

I have the impression that the army can turn literally anything into real soldiers. 

 

 

 

 

[Patrick Brown]

1 hour ago, Cheshire Cat said:

I have the impression that the army can turn literally anything into real soldiers. 

 

 

 

 

Doesn't that have something to do with the LSD they put in their coffee!

[alfheim]

22 hours ago, Earl Grey said:

Would you believe that Gen Z (the one referred to as Snowflakes) are actually asking for MORE censorship in American university campuses and comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock will non longer do performances at universities due to students and their sensitivty? Back in the day we used to ask for more freedom for expression at school for our risqué behavior, art, editorials, pranks, and civil disobedience.

Can you give a source to who exactly is asking for censorship, how many they are and what?

[ilumairen]

37 minutes ago, alfheim said:

Can you give a source to who exactly is asking for censorship, how many they are and what?

 

(Assuming you're serious and not being facetious)

 

This is an interesting starting point:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Berkeley_protests

 

Videos from various protests are easily searched, and some of the comments in the various videos are baffling - to be polite about it. 

 

[alfheim]

49 minutes ago, ilumairen said:

 

(Assuming you're serious and not being facetious)

 

This is an interesting starting point:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Berkeley_protests

 

Videos from various protests are easily searched, and some of the comments in the various videos are baffling - to be polite about it. 

 

Yes it was a serious question. I'm not from the US, didn't know what kind of censorship and what specific group would ask for that or why. Gen Z didn't help much with the search. Thank you for the link and clarification.