Tolerance of the Intolerant: We all need to take a close look at ourselves!
August 21, 2008 by OpinionHead
Filed under Opinions and Attitudes
You know, sometimes wisdom can be found in the strangest of places! I watch Southpark on a regular basis, and have since the first episode, that should tell you something about me! Anyway, the episode I saw today, “The Death Camp of Tolerance“, inspired me to write this. After a quick search, I found southparkzone.com where you can see all episodes and all seasons, FREE!
Back to the topic, Tolerance, have you ever noticed that the very people who want us all to hide our feelings, and be tolerant, never stop to think about what they are saying. Look up the word, as I did, and you may be surprised. UNESCO defines it like this:
Let’s see what the Merriam-Webster dictionary says:
“tolerance.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2008.
Merriam-Webster Online. 20 August 2008
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tolerance>
- Main Entry: tol·er·ance
- Pronunciation: \?tä-l?-r?n(t)s, ?täl-r?n(t)s\
- Function: noun
- Date: 15th century
1: capacity to endure pain or hardship : endurance, fortitude, stamina2 a: sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one’s own b: the act of allowing something : toleration3: the allowable deviation from a standard; especially : the range of variation permitted in maintaining a specified dimension in machining a piece4 a (1): the
capacity of the body to endure or become less responsive to a substance
(as a drug) or a physiological insult especially with repeated use or
exposure <developed a tolerance to painkillers>; also : the immunological state marked by unresponsiveness to a specific antigen (2): relative capacity of an organism to grow or thrive when subjected to an unfavorable environmental factor b: the maximum amount of a pesticide residue that may lawfully remain on or in food
I didn’t see the former in the latter, but I did see this part, “sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one’s own“, hmm, not exactly the same is it?
Personally, if I am tolerating something, it does not mean that I accept it, it means whatever it is bothers me a great deal, but I am controlling myself, to not choke the heck out of somebody!
Keeping this in mind, I can understand how anyone on any side of any issue, with differing opinions, could start something that is even bigger than the issue itself!
So, what can we all do? Simple, express your feelings on an issue, but be ready if you offend someone, don’t just hide in a hole somewhere! It is ok to disagree, that is what makes us all who we are, but, if we swallow that lump that comes up in your throat for too long, get used to the taste! In this society today, if you are on the opposite side of any “special” group, even if 99% of all the other people agree with you, you get tagged as intolerant! Why does the majority have to give way to the minority? Because we keep hiding our heads in a hole!
Does the saying, “It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease”, mean anything to you? It should, that is what happened to us! So, if you see an issue that bugs you, say something! If I have to put up with the various things people do, that bother me, then those same people should have to put up with the things that I do! Fair is fair, right? Why is it one side always have to give in completely? Where is the compromise?
If you haven’t seen the episode of Southpark that I am referring to, check it out here, and maybe what I have written will make more sense.
Spit that lump in your throat out now! Post a comment and get it out of your system!
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