snowflakes

The general description of people who wilt under the slightest hint of perceived unpleasantness or pressure is pretty accurate, provided the references to left and right are removed. What the hell has political preference to do with it? Was that definition written by someone on the left of centre who wanted it to contain a value judgment on anyone to the right of ? Comrade Lenin?

Where did the definition come from?

there have always been people like this its nothing new .Sheltered and pampered and the harshness of life kept hidden from them .Its not confined to "young people"

Oh how odd Elegran. I read it as coming from the right wing condemning the left.
They are not really fragile though. Beware the the fragile who cannot cope. They are the toughest, most determined people I know when it comes to manipulating others and getting their own way !

somebody called Tranquility Base:
www.urbandictionary.com/author.php?author=Tranquility%20Base

I had a look at the Tranquility Base website. There are several definitions of 'Snowflake'

It seems to be trying to sell mugs with a definition of a word on the side.

Looks like anyone can give their own definition of a word, so don't really know whose definition it is.

Here's another one:
"An insult, used to mean that a person is too easily insulted or is too sensitive to the opinions. Mainly used by Alt-Right Trumpet blowers, who ironically, don't realize they are the very definition of the insult they love to throw around. Snowflake is used by people who are incapable of using their intellect and their words to make their point in an intelligent manner.
Look at that Alt-Right snowflakes pitching a fit over people they think do not sufficiently engage in flag worship."

(American spelling, not mine!)

The thing about snowflakes is that they are all different. Each one is unique

Therefore using the word 'snowflake' as a general term for people of the same type of personality and disposition is very odd.

It’s a word used for mainly the younger generation often students, who seem to crack easily under pressure ( or rather, hardly any pressure at all) and are offended easily.

It’s also a very over used buzzword.

You mean like 'flaming' and 'shame on insert appropriate word here'?

When it’s used on here it’s used as an insult and it’s absolutely pathetic and generally used by the right to describe those who think that some types of behaviour are not acceptable. It’s used especially against young women who for some reason are particularly disliked by older right wing women.

The thing about snowflakes is that, if you squeeze them all together very hard then throw them at someone, they can hurt.

I prefer the definition given by Ilovecheese. I don't know any drippy young people, ours all seem to work very hard. This is all feeling a bit Groundhog Day and reminding me of the colonel types on the IofW when the festival took place, all the horror about the great unwashed, dreadful young people who didn't know the meaning of respect and hard work. Most of those young people with be our age now and will have contributed to society, worked hard and brought their own children up as well as they could. They'll now be caring for grandchildren. I pushed on of mine around today, hoping he'd fall asleep. He didn't. I met three other grandparents doing exactly the same thing.

Is calling people snowflakes - well, is it Banter?

Yes Jalima exactly like that.

On here Maryeliza ?
Why do you think it is only used by ‘right wing’ people?
Where are these younger women on GN?
I haven’t seen it used much on GN at all, by left or right wing posters or any shade in between.

lemon - you missed out the the fact that they are perceived to behave like this by older right wing women and are absolutely right to be offended by the way they are treated and patronised by said women. When I think of all the examples on here of ‘ooohhh how could you say that’ ‘ I daren’t post on xxxxxx threads’ I do wonder who the real snowflakes are - or would if it were a word that I think should be used.

I ve only heard it used by leavers describing remainders
But yes an insult for sure

Oh it’s used and well you know and very nastily - especially when we are discussing young people

Iam we are talking about what we see is the use and meaning of the word in the press, social media etc and not using it ourselves about anyone.

That was to lemon

No, Maryeliza I don’t see any use of the word in any regular way on GN at all.

I don't remember seeing anyone on GN use the term "snowflake" to anyone, of any political persuasion. Did I miss it?

Eglantine I was going by the last sentence, but the word could have been coined, and defined, by any group wishing to insult another group by labelling them wimps.

I don't think it is a term used against any other poster a great deal on here.

I think the background is helpful and in teaching the word now I would use the Wiki entry:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowflake_(slang)

Oh I see. Agree with you that politics is irrelevant unless anyone wants to drag it in.