Is there a point at which the application of the tolerant mind set simply becomes nonsensical or possibly even absurd? As Americans we seem to be obsessed with being tolerant. Even to the point of feeling guilty if we are not more tolerant that those who we are being tolerant of.
If I ask “is it in my best interest” to always be tolerant will I be chastised for considering my interest and not the worlds interest? It has been a while since I read Ayn Rand’s “The Virtue of Selfishness”. It’s short; perhaps I shall read it again.
Some Americans are obsessed with being "tolerant" and some are not. But even for those who are, just how tolerant are they of the following:
ReplyDeleteevangelical Christians
smokers
people who are overweight
people who are pro-life
big corporations
anyone who does not believe in global warming
Sarah Palin
"Tolerance" has become a loaded word, embedded with a leftist agenda.
Loaded is a good word and I agree with Adam that in many, perhaps most, instances when someone suggests that you should be tolerant the word is being used to preempt resistance to their point of view. i.e. if you don’t agree you are being intolerant, and that by implication is a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteAs I wrote this reply I watched a report on TV that a Target store in Minnesota is accommodating an employee’s religious requirements concerning pork. Is that a case of appropriate tolerance on Target’s part or inappropriate intolerance on the employee’s part?