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I think perhaps some people turn to the wall…

b/c they are failed by some therapists or counseling services, and have no other places to go. For some others, they might find turn to the wall more as voicing concerns about the system rather than primarily meeting their own needs. For some others, they might have repaired the relationships with the therapist/counseling service and have their own therapist to talk to, but the relationship they formed with the wall is still an important part of their lives that they wish to maintain. Plus, in some cases, the wall protect your privacy and rights more than what is being put on the medical record or from people who hav the power to coerce you. They might seem more confidential, but they are not.

^^^^^^What they said.^^^^^^ Therapists are subject to a sometimes conflicting ethical guidelines and legal duties both to protect patient confidentiality and to warn of potential harm. Here is a description of those potential conflicts: bit.ly/duty-to-warn

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I am curious, why do people have wierd fetish thoughts?

It’s really wierd! My best friend loves bsdm and someone I know told me that he is turned on by the sound of an electric toothbrush. Why is that so? (And why the hell do some males like bdsm?! Isn’t that a more female thing?)

One thing I love about humans is their endlessly surprising variety. We walls have differences as well, but we’re often so utilitarian that quirks are a little more unusual.

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As I read other posts, I begin to think that quite a few poeple are regular users and are using you not as an asnwer wall, but more as a psychologist.

Curious what you think about it. Isn’t it wrong to share deep personal infomation online? Some of the posts are so personal… Altho it is anonymous, it can still be a way for an obsessed freak to track someone down and expose everything writen here or heven worse…

I answer all questions that are respectful of other people and groups and individual privacy, and aren’t derogatory or hurtful. I agree that people may want to limit the amount of personal information available; that’s as true here as on any site or social media account. I’m not a psychologist, that’s true. Anyone who might welcome counseling, I refer to BC’s counseling services: bit.ly/BC-counseling.

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What’s the best way to control overthinking?

It likely depends on what the overthinking is trying to protect you from. Is it anxiety? Perfectionism? An attempt to control unruly situations? Try and address the underlying thing. And also, be kind to yourself right now in Covid times. Everyone is at least a little more wound up than usual.

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Hello! Didn’t know you went online, but anyways, I have a question, acctually my cousin has, but he isn’t in BC, so I am writing it.

This is what he is asking (I didn’t write it): “Does stimulating my anus gently when I “play with myself” harm me and is it bad to do it?”

Because of the many nerve endings in the anal area, many people find pleasure in anal stimulation. Gentle stimulation of the anus while masturbating will not harm you physically. More care is needed if inserting something into your anus- fingernails should not be sharp, and objects should never be inserted completely in. Whether or not anal stimulation is “bad” depends on your opinions on sex and what you decide is good or bad for you.

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hi! I hope you had a good week. What is the official BC policy on wearing masks outside?

I see many students sitting alone on campus, far away (10ft or more) from any other person, reading/studying etc while wearing a mask. Are we allowed to take them off in this scenario. Can we take them off outside while talking with another person who is sitting 10ft away? The signs around BC are not consistent in their messaging. Thank you!

I had a good week, thanks! You’re right, it’s not clear. This page has the authoritative information: bit.ly/BCReOpen. There is no explicit, unequivocal requirement to wear masks outdoors, but nor is it explicitly an exception to this broad requirement: “All students are required to wear face coverings/masks on-campus.” Use your best judgement. Remember, masks are primarily for protecting others from the virus you might be shedding unwittingly. If you’re prone to sneezing or coughing outdoors because of allergies, like some of my assistants, perhaps a mask outdoors is a good precaution.

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Hi wall! I saw this cute thing outside of Gasson! Do you know what is it?!

It’s a darling little opossum. They’re pretty ubiquitous in the western hemisphere. One of my helpers saw one alone on a boat in the middle of a harbor this summer!

Photo of an opossum on the bow of a sailboat anchored in a harbor.

They are so cute!!! Wow… what an experience ur helper had! Would it be possible to hide one as a pet in the dorm if I can ever catch it?

So cute, indeed! But best left wild and free, where they can enjoy all their opossumy joys of setting out alone at night for walks, eating tasty bugs, and, apparently, taking the helm of random powerboats.

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What could an atheist stand to gain from studying theology?

Religion in some form is a component of most societies of humans, so empathy and context for how others see the world is one thing. Theology and science are different ways of seeing and making sense of how the world works, but some of the big questions they ask are actually quite similar. And an awful lot of Western culture and history is directly influenced by religion and believers in it. More practically, it’s the explanation for why a lot of things at BC are the way they are.

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You are a wise wall.

I guess I just don’t know how to live in a world where I either need to compromise my beliefs and desire for shared humanities, and eventually participate in the system that hurts others; or keep fighting and being told I was too naive and being hurt in the process. The ironic part is that the doctors in the hospitals don’t seem to understand or care about people who end up being involuntarily sent there in the process of fighting for what they believe in, and they can pathologize you with diagnoses and label it as individual problems. This seem to be a misuse of their power, a denial to acknowledge the wrong in the world, and ignorance toward the broader societal issue.

I can feel the pain you’re writing with and from. I’m not sure what to offer you in response. But I was just thinking of the concept ahimsa, the Sanskrit word for non-violence, is very influential in several Eastern religions. It goes beyond what we think of as non-violence to include a lot of philosophical and moral considerations, and how it works in one’s particular context varies. A very short suggested reading list: http://bit.ly/bc-ahimsa1, http://bit.ly/bc-ahimsa2. Other religious and philosophical traditions also have thoughts on the struggle to live a just life in a world which frequently isn’t.

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Do you think the recent increase in COVID cases on campus will lead to students being required to self-quarantine for 2 weeks like Michigan State?

You know what I find ironic? One thing BC showed me is how easily someone can be treated as insane, vulnerable, or as a criminal, and locked up or deprived their self-autonomy. Then, the pandemic makes this a collective experience where everyone can be locked up and deprive self-autonomy so easily. I’m not against the quarantine policy, if anything, I’m more okay with being taken away freedom or self-autonomy for the greater common good than being told that others “believe it to be my best interests/for my safety” and make the judgment for me. And perhaps the pandemic will make the society think more about the individuals who are locked up, treated inhumanely, and suffer from inequity, now that it’s supposed to be a collective experience no one can turn away from.

Lots of campuses have responded to outbreaks by going all online for the semester, or for a while. The Cal State system has announced they’ll be primarily virtual through the spring also. My helpers are well-informed but don’t really know more than you do about what BC will or won’t do. It would be a wonderful thing if this terrible year increased the amount of empathy we have for others.