There are two phenomena in the contemporary US that are often confused to be the same. Although they may intermingle at times, they are disparate and unique.
Among numerous families in the middle, upper-middle and upper class, particularly the latter two, drone parenting has long been fairly prevalent, which has resulted in overprotected late adolescents and young adults who feel that it is their right not to be exposed to anything that they find off-putting, “triggering” or mildly controversial. This may range from being triggered by nudity as an art student, the inability to deal with different, non-extremist political perspectives or refusing to partake in a school activity and not feel in a “safe space” because it rekindles bad personal memories. This results from overprotection, and a lack of exposure to difference and to life itself.
Then there is woke, which is the openness to historical knowledge, however uncomfortable it may be for many in the dominant group; acceptance of literature that depicts slavery or people on the racial, ethnic or sexual margins; a general broadmindedness to difference based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation and however one chooses to express themselves. While this is not an all-inclusive description, it is the crux of woke. Woke illuminates and celebrates the historically marginalized. For obvious reasons, this makes many people feel uncomfortable due to their own overprotected, sheltered lives as part of the dominant group. Although these people may not traditionally be considered “snowflakes,” because much of their lives rests on their fear of the other, they are snowflake incarnate.
As aforementioned, there are some cases of overlap where woke and overprotected mix. Some people who support the woke agenda have been overprotected and refuse to be exposed to anything that causes their discomfort or they find off-putting.
In this sense, there are snowflakes on both sides.
However, when push comes to shove, the extremist GOP is the essence of fragility. They ban books that talk about slavery, are afraid of exposing their kids to the idea of homosexuality and want only a whitewashed version of US history to be taught to their children. They fear that a holistic historical perspective will not only eat away at their ideals of God, country, guns and military, but that a more accurate view of the past may change the country. It could lead to more equality for all people and fairer public assistance for the poor. It might lead to treating immigrants and racially and sexually marginal people as equals.
This would, of course, fly in the face of their white replacement fear, which is but more fragile trepidation of the actual snowflakes.
As a prolific author from the Boston area, Peter F. Crowley writes in various forms, including short fiction, op-eds, poetry and academic essays. In 2020, his poetry book Those Who Hold Up the Earth was published by Kelsay Books and received impressive reviews by Kirkus Review, the Bangladeshi New Age and two local Boston-area newspapers. His writing can be found in Middle East Monitor, Znet, 34th Parallel, Pif Magazine, Galway Review, Digging the Fat, Adelaide’s Short Story and Poetry Award anthologies (finalist in both) and The Opiate.
His forthcoming books, due out later in 2023, are That Night and Other Stories (CAAB Publishing) and Empire’s End (Alien Buddha Press).
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