Talk:Special Snowflake

About the trivia

The description is basically taken directly from the Wikipedia article. Although it is linked, should something else be done to show that it was taken from there, such as a reference or quote marks? ⇒ Anyar (talk/contributions/giveaway) 16:11, 22 May 2017 (PDT)

I don't know if anything needs to be done along that line, the source article is linked to the wiki page which seems to be enough for this wiki (Wikipedia would expect a proper citation). However, the real problem is the question is how is it that the Snowflake medal for participation has anything to to with Generation Snowflake? There is nothing in the item description that I can see that there is any reference are all to Generation Snowflake. In fact the opposite seems to be the case. If the medal title does have something to do with Generation Snowflake, then the the standard of this wiki is that the justification should be provided or explained in the listing, otherwise it is not trivia and should be removed. Mikado282 (talk) 16:25, 22 May 2017 (PDT)

Well, I think that Wikipedia just don't have separated article for 'special snowflake' term, thus they've just put redirect from this namespace to more general 'Generation Snowflake'. In the same fashion 'Baby-boomer' redirects to 'Baby boomers' article, for an example. Besides, you can check this term (and link it here) on various sources, like Urban Dictionary (notice that original Special Snowflake page there was recently vandalized with anti-Trump propaganda), TVTropes and alot more non-dictionary sources like Washington Post.

Also, I think that this name for community participation medal is just an irony — you can see similar or the same sort of irony in items like Southern Hospitality, Conscientious Objector or Loose Cannon. Irvitzer (talk) 17:34, 22 May 2017 (PDT)

Thank you for the additional and patient clarification. I am familiar with the "snowflake" term (less resilient = melts easy), but hadn't been exposed to the [recent] "special snowflake" nuance. I believe that the Wikipedia redirect is in error; because (IMO) the Generation Snowflake does not give enough coverage of "special snowflake" or "special snowflake syndrome". Would you consider linking to Snowflake (slang) instead? It has a section on Special Snowflake separated from Generation Snowflake. (If you edit WP, could you fix the redirect, too?) Thanks, sorry about the issue. Of course, back in my day, "special snowflake" was a nice thing to say, and honestly, that is my only reaction to the item's name, so, there you go, it really is a double entendre. Mikado282 (talk) 21:21, 22 May 2017 (PDT) 11:59, 25 September 2019 (UTC)

Done and done, thank you. Also, I think that's would be good to also include non-ironic meaning of term, but I can't find any proper source to quote from. Any help? Irvitzer (talk) 06:48, 23 May 2017 (PDT)

The charity associated with the workshop is named SpecialEffect. "Snowflake" is in keeping with the season. Given that the charity is for disabled children, I think that the meaning of "special" corresponds with the meaning I describe below.

The snowflake has been traditionally used as a metaphor for ascribing beauty in being different from everyone else — Every snowflake is different and every snowflake is beautiful; everyone is different and everyone is beautiful; and by extension being different is beautiful. For more citation than that I suggest finding a notable poem on the subject. Or maybe some writings for elementary teachers.

Now, I am drawing on dim memory here. The recipient of the "snowflake talk" was invariably a child, more often a girl, and always recently crying and feeling left out. The child was missing something, an interest, a skill, an ability that was common to the rest of the child's peers. The talk was meant to be helpful. This seems to me to be very different from the intended usage of "special snowflake" today.

For roughly the last 40 years, give or take, I have provided volunteer services of one form or another to High Functioning Autistic children and young adults. The severity of the diagnosis depends entirely on the extent that social abilities are underdeveloped or missing. In the 70's the developmentally delayed didn't have "special snowflake", they had "Special Education" and "Special Olympics". IIRC, the term now is "exceptional" (meaning atypical). A common icon for autism is a puzzle missing a piece. Speaking of something missing; look again at the medal; that is a special snowflake, in the sense that I have just described. (I don't know, maybe it has 5-points just because the medals are commonly 5-pointed.)

My observation over this time is that mainstream "neurotypical" children are becoming less emotionally, physically, and socially developed; to put a finer point on it, narrowing the differences between normal and autistic, IMO because sheltering at home on the couch is exactly the opposite of mental, emotional, physical, and social development. I recently watched some obese youth accomplish 4 years of high school cross country!!! — "You deserve a medal!", I mean that sincerely! Well, I would love to go on, but this is not the venue and I have said too much already. Mikado282 (talk) 15:53, 23 May 2017 (PDT) 16:17, 23 May 2017 (PDT)