The new tolerance
In our postmodern era, the true meaning of a once noble virtue, namely tolerance, has been distorted into a vice. The word “tolerant” is now used rather loosely to describe a person who is non-judgmental, impartial and neutral. But we need to be absolutely clear in our minds about this once noble virtue or we will completely drown in a morass of confusion. Tolerance can apply to three things – persons, behaviours or ideas – and the rules differ for each. We tolerate people by allowing them to express views. We tolerate some behaviour because certain types of behaviour can be detrimental to society. As Lincoln said, “there is no right to do wrong.” Finally, we tolerate ideas by allowing different ideas a charitable hearing, not by dogmatically affirming that all ideas are equally true.
The new tolerance is elitist regarding persons but egalitarian regarding ideas. A more sensible guideline is: be egalitarian regarding persons, but elitist regarding ideas. True tolerance applies to how we regard people, not ideas and beliefs. We can respect people who hold different viewpoints from ours by listening to them. But we can disagree with their ideas because some ideas are good and some are foolish. Some are true and some are false.
Like most of the West, we are seemingly committed to this new tolerance. It therefore follows that if you disagree with someone (God forbid you tell them they are wrong), you are apt to be labelled “intolerant” or “narrow-minded” (the usual ad hominem fallacies). But people often take offense when none is given or intended. If one says that P is false, it does not logically follow one hates everyone who believes P. This is where our postmodern friends seem to be confused. They treat viewpoints, beliefs, ideas and people as synonymic. This is erroneous and the sooner we realize this the more progress we can make in addressing the issues of our day. Those who insist on confronting people with name-calling rather than confronting the ideas should remember the old adage: “When you keep throwing mud you disadvantage yourself in two ways. You get your hands dirty and you continually lose ground.”
The new tolerance is elitist regarding persons but egalitarian regarding ideas. A more sensible guideline is: be egalitarian regarding persons, but elitist regarding ideas. True tolerance applies to how we regard people, not ideas and beliefs. We can respect people who hold different viewpoints from ours by listening to them. But we can disagree with their ideas because some ideas are good and some are foolish. Some are true and some are false.
Like most of the West, we are seemingly committed to this new tolerance. It therefore follows that if you disagree with someone (God forbid you tell them they are wrong), you are apt to be labelled “intolerant” or “narrow-minded” (the usual ad hominem fallacies). But people often take offense when none is given or intended. If one says that P is false, it does not logically follow one hates everyone who believes P. This is where our postmodern friends seem to be confused. They treat viewpoints, beliefs, ideas and people as synonymic. This is erroneous and the sooner we realize this the more progress we can make in addressing the issues of our day. Those who insist on confronting people with name-calling rather than confronting the ideas should remember the old adage: “When you keep throwing mud you disadvantage yourself in two ways. You get your hands dirty and you continually lose ground.”
