When did the meaning of 'tolerance' change?
Editor's Box
By Jennifer Allen
[email protected]
Assistant Editor
The meaning of the word �tolerance� has changed dramatically over the past few years.
The concept of tolerance that earlier generations were taught and that the American culture was based upon was one that emphasized respect for differing viewpoints. You didn't necessarily have to agree with what someone's religion, lifestyle, or point of view was, but it was encouraged that you treat that person with the same amount of dignity that you treated anyone else.
Today, the traditional meaning of the word had been replaced by a new concept of tolerance that says you should not only treat them with respect, but you should go even farther. Society now tells us that we have to praise or even endorse someone else's lifestyle or be prepared to be labeled a bigot.
This makes me think back to my sociology class and the concept of cultural relativism, which means that you try to understand a certain culture from its own terms.
For example, in some countries parents would let their child die of starvation before they would kill a cow for the food. While this seems strange and morally wrong to us, when looked at in their cultural context that is the normal way of life and other societies have come to tolerate their lifestyle.
This doesn't mean that you or I would endorse or praise what they are doing. We are simply being tolerant of the culture they live in and thus using the idea of tolerance in the traditional sense.
My point is, that in today's society we are quick to label someone as intolerant if they do not whole-heartedly agree with someone else's way of life. Is there no middle ground? Can you no longer be tolerant by just showing your respect and by not degrading others? Tolerance should not be based on conforming or accepting someone else's ideas, but instead should promote respect of these ideas.
You shouldn't have to praise what someone is doing or abandon your own convictions about life just to prove that you are tolerant of them. You should be able to disagree with what an individual does, but still be considered tolerant of him or her simply because of the respect that you show.
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