Toleration

Tolerance, it’s a big word. It implies many things and it gets thrown around a lot when there are differing points of view. Tolerate. What exactly does that mean? Basically it means to allow or put up with something that you don’t agree with in some way. That’s fine, I know everyone is different and we all have our own issues to deal with. However, when is enough, enough? How much must we tolerate? Is there a line that can be crossed, is there an issue that can be pushed too far, is there a limit to tolerance? For me, the answer is yes, on all accounts. Tolerance is a requirement to be an integrated member of society. If you are completely intolerant, you are basically dividing yourself from the mass, the community, the society.

So where is this line between being overly tolerant and being intolerant? It’s a very hard question and one that cannot be answered for you. However, I am going to give you my take on tolerance and how it impacts my life. I tolerate lots of things. I tolerate the amount of taxes I pay, I tolerate the bad drivers at 4-way stops, I tolerate the annoying kids on cell phones, I tolerate the inconsiderate people at the grocery store with their SUV shopping carts, I tolerate the speeding drivers that like to drive on my side of the road, and I tolerate other people’s opinions. Tolerance is almost a minute by minute issue. I’m sure there are umpteen million other examples of how we tolerate things and people in our lives. We allow these issues to continue because the cost of doing something to correct it is either too costly, or too harmful, or too time consuming to worry about. So we tolerate them, we allow them to continue, we put up with it.

However, you can become intolerant to any of these situations in an instant. What would happen if my taxes doubled? Would I tolerate that? Nope. What would happen if people ran into me at an intersection on purpose? What would happen if someone intentionally hit me with their cart in the grocery store? Would I continue to tolerate these things? My answer is VERY HIGHLY unlikely. They have just crossed the line of tolerance, to my intolerance level. I will not put up with, or allow continuing of these actions against me. That’s fine and very easily understood, I’m sure this level is pretty similar amongst everyone out there. But where does “true” tolerance come into play? I think it comes into play in the most delicate nature when we are talking about people’s opinions or our so called rights.

Our daily lives revolve around interaction with other people. If we are intolerant, we cannot function within society. Intolerant people find themselves always at odds with people and often are uncompromising. They just do not fit into society and create great division. So, we go through our daily lives tolerating other people, their actions, and their words, and their beliefs. It allows us to function as a society. But is there a line in tolerance within a social setting? I believe so. Just because there are feelings and rational thought involved, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a line somewhere that can be crossed. At home, at work, at school, at church, and in your country, you tolerate people’s opinions, feelings, and “rights.” What would something be that you would not tolerate in a social setting? Would you tolerate individuals shouting expletives at a school function? Nope. Would you tolerate someone coming into your home and burning a flag? Nope. Would you tolerate someone stealing your ideas and work at your job? Nope. Would you tolerate someone disregarding your opinion as stupid and wrong just because it’s not the majority opinion? Nope.

There are lines of tolerance in a social setting. It’s pretty easy to see. However, each person’s tolerance line will be different. I see labels of intolerance given to certain organizations and groups of people. Why is this so? Some people believe that being the least bit intolerant towards anything is in fact removing something of value from them. They believe they should be able to do or say anything because they have the “right” to do so. If it doesn’t affect you, then why do you care? Ok, for simplicity’s sake, I will agree. You are human, and you have the right to do ANYTHING you want. However, there are consequences to some of these things you do and say because of the simple fact that you live in a society of other people. You are not a one person country. You are not the judge, jury, and executioner of what you think should be allowed.

The society will only tolerate so much. It will reach a certain point and then “intolerance” will arrive. Actually, the line of tolerance is at the root of almost every issue we face. We tolerate illegal immigrants. We tolerate gas prices. We tolerate flag burning. We tolerate the removal of the 10 Commandments from our society. We tolerate the hate mongers fueling niche organizations. We tolerate many, many things. Some of these things are very divisive and deep rooted within personal beliefs. However, as we approach the level of society’s intolerance, we see conflict and division amongst our communities. That is where we are at now. We are past the tolerance level of many within our society, but only until recently have we more than likely reached that level with the majority.

Tolerance is required to have a civilized society. But, we have to remember that being overly tolerant is just as bad as being overly intolerant. We cannot reach a point where we tolerate every single thing. Our society would devolve into chaos. On the other side, we cannot reach a point where we are intolerant to almost everything. Our society would in turn become a basic form of dictatorship at all levels. So, here we sit, somewhere in the middle. Are we in the middle, to the far left, or the far right? Depends on which way the wind is blowing it seems. Currently, it appears that we are falling farther and farther to the left, completely tolerant in a way that is basically intolerance. We worry about what we say being offensive to certain groups. These groups have certain words they associate with intolerance and thus label you. However, who is the intolerant one here? Irony never leaves the building. I do not want to live in a society of complete tolerance. Political correctness is one of the main weapons of this movement. Make sure EVERYONE is happy. Make sure you don’t offend those crazy intolerant right wingers! Maybe it should be the other way around. Make sure you say something you believe in so the left wingers actually have to form an opinion rather than say yes to everything.

In the end, tolerance is a major key to our success as a society. We can’t allow the completely tolerant or intolerant take over our nation. Choose your battles wisely. Rely on your beliefs and moral and ethical makeup. You will be better off. Tolerate, but only to an extent, in everything you do.