Trigger Warning with Killer Mike season 1, episode 2 recap: F**k School

Episode 2 of Trigger Warning with Killer Mike looks at problems with education, and proposes using sex to solve them. It may not be a great idea.

[NOTE: As with the premiere recap, this episode recap of Trigger Warning with Killer Mike comes with a handy-dandy controversy rating. Think of it like Siskel & Ebert‘s famous thumbs up/thumbs down, only about how potentially offensive the episode is.]

Based on the title alone, you know Trigger Warning with Killer Mike might flirt with questionable ideas. Then again, all ideas are a bit questionable, aren’t they? Isn’t our education system imperfect, and might we benefit from considering some exotic alternatives? Well, this is where rapper Killer Mike comes in with a bold new idea: Mixing porn and education. In case you’re panicking, rest assured he’s referring to adult education. Still, it’s sort of a weird idea and definitely not for everyone. In fact, even if you’re a porn fan (which many are), you might not want a crossover there.

So, what’s the basis for the premise? The episode essentially begins with a quote by Booker T. Washington: “No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.” However, Killer Mike runs with that premise pretty far, dropping the ball in the process. Saying we should tell kids to dream practical and not big, he dismisses education about classic literature as a “useless thing.”

Read. Trigger Warning with Killer Mike season 1 premiere recap: Living Black. light

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Now, I’m not that offended by this (or much of anything else in life, frankly), but it seems like a heavy dose of overkill. Granted, this may be because I was a Great Books major in college, but I’d probably scratch my head about that even if I wasn’t. Basically, it’s an oversimplification to tell kids, “Don’t dream big, dream practical.” In fact, one assumes Killer Mike may have dreamed big himself, right? He is, after all, a rapper and not a plumber or used car salesman.

For another thing, people can obviously read classic literature and learn a trade. They’re not mutually exclusive. Maybe it’s unprofessional to discuss myself here, but I helped out a glass shop install windshields in cars for a few hours once, despite not being mechanically inclined.

Nothing’s preventing someone from doing that sometimes, then heading home to read something like Mishima’s The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea. Still, Killer Mike seems to think literature is boring for most kids, and a reason they hate school. In fact, he talks to some actual kids to prove it. One can partially see his point, as maybe people shouldn’t feel forced to learn stuff they have zero interest in. I’ll annoyingly cite myself as an example here. I had to take a few “phys ed” style classes in college. They weren’t the worst thing ever, but what did my bowling class have to do with literature or art? So I can meet him halfway. Still, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Sex and odd jobs: Tradesmen, artisans, entrepreneurs, and porn

Trigger Warning with Killer Mike” introduces us to Tobin, who does odd jobs. The emphasis is on tradesmen, artisans, and entrepreneurs. There is a sort of focus group, and Tobin shows them how a sink works. Mike then talks to someone named Principal Robin, and he brings up another iffy point. When discussing Obama as the first black President, Killer Mike emphasizes that he is “bi-racial.” It’s a bit of a cringe-inducing moment, especially for people tired of hearing about race or gender issues literally every time they check out the news (and usually with the outrage volume cranked up to 11).

That aside, Killer Mike has an interesting idea of marrying carpentry, plumbing skills and other
trades with adult entertainment. He calls it vocational porn. After getting approval from his wife, he meets with cam girl Jamma Vanburen. Ultimately, some porn stars teach the focus group how to repair a lamp, a broken electrical outlet, and some plumbing and locksmith skills. Marla Stewart, a sex therapist at Velvet Lips, thinks it’s innovative. The test audience has improved test results, though some say it would never be allowed on a larger scale. However, Charlton Carlos Lester, the founder and President of Omnitech Institute, says it has promise. After all, sex is one of the greatest motivators in society.

Controversy rating: 6.9 / 10

If you ask me, this Trigger Warning with Killer Mike episode is potentially quite offensive to others. You have Mike essentially dismissing entire fields of education as boring and useless to kids. He hesitates to consider Obama the first black President because he was bi-racial. Of course, that probably describes a good percentage of people across the board, even if they don’t know about it For example, Vanessa Williams was surprised to learn she is 12% Finnish. Hey, that makes her a little more like me (if you were wondering where a weird last name like “Wainio” comes from)!

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Last (but not necessarily least), the idea of people learning trades through porn would probably have mixed results, and be met with some outright opposition. In fact, that’s basically guaranteed in some circles. I think Mike meant well here, but many wouldn’t be on board. Was it food for thought? I guess so. The better question: Was it nutritious food or junk food?

That’s it for this Trigger Warning with Killer Mike recap. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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