That Moment When Tolerance Actually Becomes Toxic
We have crossed that line and didn’t even know it.
It’s a virtue often extolled as a cornerstone of our modern society.
Tolerance is commonly understood as acceptance — an abiding respect for the beliefs, practices, and differences of others.
This gives people with diverse views and lifestyles the opportunity to peacefully coexist with one another. In the main, it’s a preciously commendable quality.
However, there comes a point when tolerance can turn toxic and cause harm rather than good.
Weaponizing Tolerance
Tolerance is used to check on acts of bigotry and discrimination.
We raised it as a flag to combat racism, sexism, homophobia, or other forms of prejudice.
But the problem is…we may have gone too far.
We, as a society, were so busy rallying behind tolerance, extolling its virtues, and didn’t even notice that the ball had swung too far in the other direction. We were so enamored by the gains we’ve made, so we simply kept pushing and pushing.
And now we are suffering from our success. We have weaponized tolerance…not against narrow-minded bigots, but against society in general.
We are seeing what happens when tolerance, or any virtue for that matter, is pushed too far.
Here’s what’s happening:
#1 Any Dissent Is Quickly Silenced
In the dramatic reversal of the “hunter becoming the hunted,” anybody who questions extreme examples of tolerance is quickly labeled a bigot —or as somebody living in a bygone era.
In discussions about genders, for example, folks who still hold the majority narrative (that there are only two genders) are reframed as regressive.
“Uh, it’s 2024…so please use my pronouns: Ze/hir/hirs”
(As if the year has any bearing on biological truth.)
Paradoxically, the folks who have long pushed for tolerance have themselves become intolerant of the people who hold a different view.
The moment you pose a challenge to their viewpoints, you either quickly get waved off, verbally attacked, or accused of victimizing them. You suddenly become “phobic” of some kind.
(Meanwhile, nobody has questioned why, when you think and feel, you’re a dolphin…you suddenly become that.)
#2 Heinous Acts Are Tolerated In The Name Of Tolerance
Tolerance, taken to an extreme, has enabled harmful practices by creating an environment where destructive behaviors are overlooked or even condoned under the guise of acceptance.
How heinous?
Rape.
Assault.
Harassment.
Transgender bathroom policies which allowed males to use the girls’ bathroom (and vice versa), have exposed women to such acts.
Even to the point of rape, authorities are reluctant to act and reverse the policies for fear of being accused as regressive.
In the name of tolerance, society is forced to stomach acts that should never be tolerated.
#3 Logic Goes Out The Window
When tolerance has become toxic, logic dies in the streets.
Suddenly we cannot answer the question: What Is A Woman?
Not only that, we don’t know what is a “man” as well.
We are slowly obliterating our dictionary entries and soon enough, we will be left with tautologous, circular reasoning that “A dolphin is someone who identifies as a dolphin.”
Grammar has died a long time ago.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why I have to know what your “pronouns” (another lexical victim here) are when I’m talking to you. I could just use your name or refer to you as “YOU.”
You are literally in front of me. I can address you directly or call you by name.
Pronouns are used when the person talked about is somewhere else — as in, “He went to get groceries.” By then, you won’t be around to be insulted when I utter that exact same statement.
This state of things really makes me sad because I’m usually the first one to defend people’s rights to their own personhood. I commiserate with the people who feel they have been born in the wrong body, because nobody wants that.
But things have simply become too much.
Tolerance has become a gun pointed at the head of society.
