Triggers and Karaoke
Over the last couple weeks there has been some serious discussion on Facebook and the JoCo forums about JoCo Karaoke, public events, and trauma triggers (see links below for more detail). The discussions have occasionally become heated, and some Sea Monkeys have felt hurt.
First and foremost, we’re very sorry that both the initial triggering incident occurred and that the discussion afterward has been, at times, divisive. We care very much about this community of people. No one should ever hesitate to bring incidents and issues like these to our attention, because we want for all of our events to be as enjoyable as possible for everyone. And we understand that this issue in particular can be very emotional and complex. We have been following the entire discussion, have heard what everyone has had to say, and understand that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
We believe the best solution in this instance is to announce the karaoke song currently “on deck” (the song coming up after the current song) during the event, so that people have ample opportunity to use whatever strategy they deem necessary if they believe an upcoming song may be triggering for them. We arrived at this determination after considering all of the variables of the event: multiple karaoke hosts, ever-changing karaoke song lists, and the possibility that people might miss a one-time announcement about song lists either online, on land, or at sea. By announcing the song “on deck,” everyone in the room will be able to make a decision based on their needs, even if they just recently arrived at the event. In addition, we expect participants and hosts alike to be mindful regarding song selections with potentially triggering content.
While no solution can make everyone 100% happy, we hope everyone will understand our reasoning, recognize that we are listening to your feedback, and know that we are doing our best to look out for the interests of everyone in this community. But ultimately it's up to you; at the heart of JoCo Cruise Crazy is this amazing community of welcoming, supportive people. In order to keep it that way, we ask everyone to continue to do two things: 1) do our best to take care of each other, and 2) trust that we are all doing our best to take care of each other. We work hard at both of those things, and hope that everyone will continue to do the same.
Please feel free to write to us at [email protected] if you’d like to further discuss this or any other JoCo Cruise Crazy matter with us.
Jonathan and the JCCC Management
Links to original discussions:
Facebook thread (must be a member of the JCCC 2014 Facebook group to view)
JoCo discusssion forum thread 1
JoCo discusssion forum thread 2
Below are a few links to some introductory info regarding trauma triggers (not meant to be definitive; the issue is broad and people’s experiences can vary widely):
Trauma trigger (Wikipedia)
National Institute of Mental Health - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Psych Central: What is a Trigger?
About.com: How to Identify and Cope with Your PTSD Triggers
First and foremost, we’re very sorry that both the initial triggering incident occurred and that the discussion afterward has been, at times, divisive. We care very much about this community of people. No one should ever hesitate to bring incidents and issues like these to our attention, because we want for all of our events to be as enjoyable as possible for everyone. And we understand that this issue in particular can be very emotional and complex. We have been following the entire discussion, have heard what everyone has had to say, and understand that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
We believe the best solution in this instance is to announce the karaoke song currently “on deck” (the song coming up after the current song) during the event, so that people have ample opportunity to use whatever strategy they deem necessary if they believe an upcoming song may be triggering for them. We arrived at this determination after considering all of the variables of the event: multiple karaoke hosts, ever-changing karaoke song lists, and the possibility that people might miss a one-time announcement about song lists either online, on land, or at sea. By announcing the song “on deck,” everyone in the room will be able to make a decision based on their needs, even if they just recently arrived at the event. In addition, we expect participants and hosts alike to be mindful regarding song selections with potentially triggering content.
While no solution can make everyone 100% happy, we hope everyone will understand our reasoning, recognize that we are listening to your feedback, and know that we are doing our best to look out for the interests of everyone in this community. But ultimately it's up to you; at the heart of JoCo Cruise Crazy is this amazing community of welcoming, supportive people. In order to keep it that way, we ask everyone to continue to do two things: 1) do our best to take care of each other, and 2) trust that we are all doing our best to take care of each other. We work hard at both of those things, and hope that everyone will continue to do the same.
Please feel free to write to us at [email protected] if you’d like to further discuss this or any other JoCo Cruise Crazy matter with us.
Jonathan and the JCCC Management
Links to original discussions:
Facebook thread (must be a member of the JCCC 2014 Facebook group to view)
JoCo discusssion forum thread 1
JoCo discusssion forum thread 2
Below are a few links to some introductory info regarding trauma triggers (not meant to be definitive; the issue is broad and people’s experiences can vary widely):
Trauma trigger (Wikipedia)
National Institute of Mental Health - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Psych Central: What is a Trigger?
About.com: How to Identify and Cope with Your PTSD Triggers
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