Merriam-Webster's Definition Of Tolerance In Society

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If a virtue is used dishonorably, could it become a vice? If someone tolerates something that is harmful, they are no longer benefitting society. Even though practicing tolerance is viewed in a positive light, the masses do not consider that the meaning behind the definition can apply to darker circumstances. Depending on the situation, tolerance should be either regulated, upgraded, or forsaken if the intended effect, peace and goodwill, no longer exists. It was once said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” (Burke, n.d.). To tolerate a crime or damaging behavior, one only needs to witness it and ignore it. Merriam-Webster’s definition of tolerance is “willingness to accept feelings, habits, or …show more content…

What to tolerate and what not to tolerate can still be objective and unclear depending on the situation. For example, how much should one tolerate a disabled child’s behavior if the behavior has a chance to be corrected over time? Should one tolerate a child who throws tantrums because they do not understand a better way to deal with their emotions or should one become strict in fixing the behavior? While a disabled child may not always understand the situation well enough to properly react to it, a guardian can not just ignore the behavior in favor of appearing more relaxed and accepting. Tolerating a child’s misbehavior, disabled or not, is an excellent example of when tolerance only causes grief. The child will grow up believing unruly behaviors is ok which will only cause the child and the people around him to suffer. Another example is whether or not one should tolerate their friend’s smoking habit. Should the smoker be allowed to make their own decisions or should others be allowed to persuade them to behave differently? In examples like this, when another person’s safety or health is at stake, people should be allowed to intervene. There are an abundance of stories where the family or friends of someone would tolerate another’s unhealthy behavior and the person would end up suffering greatly for it. Even though the smoker may be an autonomous adult who is capable of making their …show more content…

For the last several decades, the Muslim community in western countries has increased in size; consequently, so have tensions and conflicts (Jailani, 2016). A prominent debate is whether or not Muslim women should be allowed to wear headscarfs, burqa, and niqabs; otherwise known as veils (Jailani, 2016). The western world tends to see these veils as a sign of oppression; as a result, laws and regulations have and are being passed to ban them from public areas (Jailani, 2016). Whether or not one agrees with Islam or its practices is irrelevant; allowing these bans to be passed is tolerating intolerance. These laws are said to be just one of the countless examples of tolerating cultural assimilation in favor of the more advanced western culture over the Islamic culture (Jailani, 2016). Although it can be said that prohibiting the use of veils in public will circumvent female oppression, those with opposing views argue that even those who try to spread western ideals in good nature are being intolerant (Jailani, 2016). There is no denial that this topic is a double edged sword, both solutions seem to have downfalls. That is to say, tolerating the veils can mean tolerating symbols of oppression over women; hence, we value the peace over justice (Jailani, 2016). In contrast, outlawing the use of veils in public is still a sign of religious intolerance (Jailani, 2016). While both sides have

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