How Tolerance Will Destroy Our Most Important Values and Achievements
We have to stop being tolerant of everyone’s opinions and worldviews, on some issues there are no two sides
Most people confuse open-mindedness with tolerance.
I’m very open-minded, politically left-wing and very intolerant. And I’m convinced that tolerance will undo all liberal achievements of the past.
If we want to continue living in an open, diverse, equal and modern society, we must stop being tolerant.
The whole let’s agree to disagree approach isn’t working.
Because the other side isn’t tolerant at all.
Take religion as an example. One of the pillars of modern democratic society is the division of religion and state.
And liberal societies have religious freedom. Every religion is seen as equal. And everyone has the right to practice their faith as they see fit.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Everyone could go and live happily ever after.
But, religious freedom is a big problem if an intolerant interpretation of a religion clashes with a tolerant society.
When people with less liberal values refuse to accept your way of life. Or try to impose their way of life on you.
Christian fundamentalists are brazenly trying to destroy the basis of democracy in the US as the rest of society watches in paralyzed disbelief.
Trying to make everyone live in a state where their interpretation of the bible replaces the laws that people fought for.
Somehow, women’s freedom and self-determination are always the target of religious fundamentalists.
In Austria, there have been numerous incidents in which fundamentalist Muslim men have refused to shake hands with a female teacher. Or to be treated by a female doctor.
If it were up to religious nuts of all stripes, women would only hold kitchen knives and not scalpels.
One of the cornerstones of our modern society is the equality of women and men. Fundamentalists, however, do not accept this. They expect us to accommodate their beliefs. But make no concessions to accommodate our truths.
Recently, in France, a teacher showed the Renaissance painting “Diana and Acteon” by Giuseppe Cesari to her class.
It hangs in the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest. And it shows some nude women. As many such paintings do.
The pupils felt offended by the mere sight of the painting, and the parents marched to the school to attack the teacher. And accuse her of Islamophobia.
Now, the liberal reaction would be to say it should be up to the individual if they want to shake a woman’s hand.
And maybe we should make concessions for different cultures and not show old paintings with naked women.
But I disagree.
Why do your religious superstitions trump my belief in ration and science?
Take the case of Samuel Paty.
Samuel Paty was a history teacher who was murdered. Why? Because he showed Mohammed caricatures in class during a discussion of free speech.
There was an Internet mob, emotions ran high, and a religious fanatic took it upon himself to kill him.
Because you see, while we’re trying to be inclusive and tolerant of opinions that don’t mesh with ours. The other side isn’t.
Fundamentalists don’t care for your values. All they want is for you to adhere to their little book of rules that was written so long ago it is irrelevant to anything happening in our modern world.
If you’re not willing, they’ll do everything in their power to force you.
Philosopher John Stuart Mill believed that more tolerance and confrontation with competing ideas would lead to more open-mindedness and, better societies and better people.
He was clearly mistaken. He underestimated the unwillingness of the right and religious conservatives to see other ways of life as anything other than a threat.
There is no concept of tolerance in fundamentalism.
Fundamentalists don’t want to live and let live. Unless you’re willing to live like them.
The religious right in the US is currently showing us this very clearly. You’re either with them or against them.
If you’re against them, they will do absolutely everything to annihilate your way of living.
They will ban abortion, contraceptives and IVF. They will ban your books, they will ban you from talking about race, stop you from marrying who you love, and they will not stop until they have abolished all the basic human rights we’ve fought for over the last 200 years.
On the subject of tolerance, I’m with Sir Karl Popper, one of the 20th century’s greatest philosophers. I believe that tolerance leads to the eradication of the tolerant by the intolerant.
Popper called this the “Paradox of Tolerance.”
It is the idea that “unlimited tolerance leads to the disappearance of tolerance. “
In order to maintain a tolerant society, society must be prepared to be intolerant towards intolerance.
Because you see, it’s not a level playing field. One side uses heavy weapons to destroy your way of life. While the other side weaves wreaths of flowers to welcome them to their discussion circle.
All opinions are not equal.
Sure, you can have them — you’re free to believe that homosexuals are an abomination. Or that black people are inferior. Or that woke diversity culture is why the Boeing Max is falling apart.
But if you do, you have to be aware that you’re an asshole. And you should be treated as such.
And others should be willing to stand up and call you an asshole to your face.
If you want society to remain tolerant, you have to be willing and able to be intolerant to deniers of tolerance. You have to match their energy.
You take back the discussion, and you don’t give them a platform.
Think free speech. Free speech should not be absolute.
Yes, free speech is an untouchable paradigm in the US and many Western countries.
But what do you do if people use free speech to undermine society?
Some countries like Germany and Austria have legally limited the expression of anything that is Nazi propaganda.
Yes, this is a limitation of free speech. And it is necessary to limit the spread of an intolerant ideology.
Political talk shows are an excellent example of the folly of having a “discussion” with some people.
Take a debate on climate change.
97% of scientists support the current theory of man-made climate change. In academic circles, there is no doubt this is happening.
But in every talk show on the topic, a scientist is invited to debate the topic with some random tin foil hat “expert” who opposes what every real academic knows to be true.
Yes, this is free speech. But it creates a false equivalence.
If both sides are given equal space to express their thoughts, it looks as if their opinions have equal weight.
And suddenly, the public’s view on the topic is skewed.
There are no two sides to this. And I’m not willing to agree to disagree on an academic consensus because you choose to believe fringe crazies who derail the conversation.
We have to stop giving certain ideas a platform. The idea that we have to let everyone express their opinion is taking us all down a dangerous path.
People with limited understanding but strong antiquated beliefs are eroding the shared foundations of our society.
And we’re helping them because we’re tolerant.
The very thing we liberals pride ourselves on, tolerance and inclusion of others’ opinions, will ultimately cost us what we’ve fought so hard for.
We can see it happening right before our eyes. The religious zealots in the US are using the political right to roll back equality and human rights.
They are taking away women’s bodily autonomy and minorities’ rights.
They are changing the way history is taught in schools.
Because we let them.
I don’t care if someone’s religion says that women are inferior to men. They’re free to be devout Christians, Muslims or Pastafarians. Whatever rocks their boat.
They’re allowed to believe what they want in the comfort of their own home. That’s also a right that we liberals have fought for.
But they should be forced to keep their intolerance to themselves. Society should have no tolerance for a worldview that tries to eradicate it.
It’s time the left stopped being tolerant and took a stand.
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