Tolerance for "all"?

[Goh Lip]

On 06/03/2010 11:47 AM, ABSDoug wrote:
>
> --- On Wed, 6/2/10, jon at jcosby.com<jon at jcosby.com>  wrote:
>

<snipped>
>

Normally, I don't get into discussion about preferences and behaviour.
But since you seems to have a need to let people understand you, I think 
it is fair that you understand others.

The examples you give about NYC is good, where people allow others to do 
what what they themselves would not do, and I agree that is a good 
thing; *provided* such acts do not transgress others' liberty, safety 
and convenience. I hope that if you witness a crime in NYC, and if you 
could do something about it, you will not allow your 'tolerance' to do 
nothing. I have nothing against smokers smoking in the park, but if they 
smoke in hospitals and in lifts, I would be annoyed. And I am a smoker.

It is in our human nature to feel empathy and outrage when injustices or 
prejudices are done even when we are not ourselves directly affected. 
(and that's where dogma's are bad, ideological or religious, but that's 
a separate issue)


Perhaps, and I am not a native english speaker, we shouldn't stress so 
much on the word 'tolerance' - there are some linguistic/philosohical 
people, noam chomsky, steven pinker are some examples, who claim 
languages affect our outlook in life - but rather on the word 'toleration'.

After all, "tolerance" means 'enduring' something unpleasant.
"toleration" means 'allowing' something you disagree with to happen, 
happily.  The planned mosque you mentioned comes to mind.

But, I agree that a gentleman should say 'sorry' if he caused offense, 
even if he had not intended it.  :)

Regards - Goh Lip









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