Keyword: Tolerance

Dictionary.com defines tolerance as two distinctly different ideas. On one hand the word is meant as one of open-mindedness, as an interest in those different from oneself. However, it continues on to describe tolerance in medical terms: “the act or capacity of enduring; endurance: My tolerance of noise is limited.” And further: “Toleration implies the allowance or sufferance of conduct with which one is not in accord.” It is interesting to investigate these confused definitions.

Tolerance is used often in discussion of minorities, ethnic groups, or those who are considered different. Tolerance.org’s mission statement is to reduce prejudices and improve inter-group relations. Their website is inundated with links to “fight hate” and “mix it up” (which means to hang out with people outside your bubble and who are different from yourself). The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles has received numerous awards for their “fight against racism.” They boast an impressive description:

Extending the reach of its anti-bias lessons beyond its physical walls, the Museum offers video-conferencing to a wide range of audiences. The Museum also provides innovative resources through its Library and Archives, educational programs and traveling exhibits. Locally the Arts and Lectures series draws thousands of community members every year for award-winning film and book presentations and public forums on human rights issues.

Although these organizations make a lot of social progress and bring an awareness to the problems and bigotry we currently face in our society, are they themselves using a word that we could argue may in itself be unacceptable?

During one’s childhood, we are told to eat our vegetables. “You can tolerate one more bite.” Often it is associated with pain, “If you can tolerate stitches, you are very brave.” If tolerance is experiencing something that includes pain, suffering, or enduring something undesirable and possibly unpleasant then this connection to religious or racial tolerance should be put into question.

Putting up with the pain or "sucking up your complaints" presents a dynamic and eye-opening idea. As children we do not embrace skinned knees or visits to the dentist. We are allowing the right of something we do not approve of.

Encouraging ‘tolerance’ as an idea that embraces qualities different from our own then becomes perplexing and contradictory. It could be argued that the use of this word is symptomatic of a culture that allows difference to exist while continuing to oppress those who are different.

Perhaps the word tolerance should be examined by examining its counterpart: intolerance. If you are intolerant it means that we cannot accept or we reject. If someone is lactose-intolerant or intolerant of violence, it means those products or behaviors are not acceptable. If then the opposite of intolerance is acceptance, then possibly one should view the word tolerance as a step in a process.

Thinking of tolerance, then, as a first step in the process of acceptance, then maybe preaching tolerance for those different from yourself should be treated as such. First something or someone is disliked, and you cannot stand the mere existence of it. Possibly that’s the lowest level on the spectrum of love and discomfort. From there, it becomes tolerant. We can dislike the feeling of taking cough medicine or dislike an ethnicity but it is not enough to act upon that feeling of discomfort. We can “bear it” temporarily. Next may be acceptance. I don’t love wearing headbands, personally, but people that do, don’t bother me at all. Next may be pleasing. And maybe then finally embracing and celebrating and love.

If we view tolerance as the first step in a process, it would seem more fitting to then call tolerance.org something else to express its mission statement. Most people would prefer to be embraced or accepted rather than “tolerated.” The Museum of Tolerance's use is possibly appropriate because its recognition of hate and discrimination in the world is one of the first steps. Awareness may begin to spread our hopes of social change.

Possibly the common usage and definition should be re-thought as ‘tolerance’ in its direct form. Rather than an ideal tolerance is a step we shall attempt to conquer, never a destination to arrive at.

(Final thoughts: I used this word in my race post and felt I was misunderstood when I was using it, because these are my thoughts about its meanings. I dislike the word and the common usage of it very much so I felt it fitting to make an argument for a word I dislike, yet is common and viewed positively.)