Prof. James McConkey Dies Age 98, Remembered For “Lively Personality” By Former Students and Colleagues

Celebrated writer and mentor Prof. James McConkey, english, who had been a professor at Cornell for nearly four decades, died on Oct. 24. He was 98 years old.
McConkey was known for his nonfiction essays, which were heavily rooted in his own personal experiences. In addition to some of his works that appeared in The New Yorker, McConkey also wrote and edited 15 books, according to a University press release.

LEUNG | Educating the American Mind

The word “snowflake” is used to identify a person who has an inflated sense of uniqueness — a person with too many emotions and an inability to deal with opposing opinions. It has become a politicized insult by the political right to insult the left. Those targeted as “snowflakes” are seen as fragile, weak, easily offended and desperate for “trigger warnings” and safe spaces. While frequently used to insinuate and insult, it has been increasingly common for Trump protestors to hold up signs that say, “Damn right we’re snowflakes and winter is coming.”

College students seek emotional health by demanding protection from words and ideas they don’t like, suggests an article in The Atlantic, which is actually detrimental for their education and mental health. The authors warn against trigger warnings and restricting speech because students must learn to live in a world that has a plethora of potential offenses.