What is tolerance?
By peavey
@peavey (16936)
United States
October 17, 2006 8:09am CST
Our society preaches tolerance, but I have a feeling that too many don't understand what true tolerance is.
Tolerance is not a surface, shut-your-mouth-so-you-don't-offend-anyone kind of thing.
Tolerance is allowing others to be who/what they are, and respecting them as human beings. It does not mean we should condone wrong or hurtful things they may do, and it doesn't mean that we have to tippy toe around for fear of hurting someone's feelings.
I could go on, but I'm curious. What do you think tolerance really means?
1 response
@Proserpine (248)
• United States
29 Oct 06
It means accepting people for exactly who they are and not trying to change them into what we want them to be. We must give up judgement, which means giving up our ego projections, even though we may not like much about them. It doesn't mean, as you stated, accepting bad or destructive behavior at all costs. THAT must never be acceptable.
