We
hear all the time that we need to practice tolerance. We need to
tolerate different races, religions, ethnicities, sexualities, and so
on. While tolerance is a virtue and necessary for a peaceful society,
we will not achieve true peace until we begin to preach acceptance.
Tolerance promotes the fair treatment of an individual; it prevents
discrimination and bigotry. Acceptance, though, goes further than
tolerance.
When
you tolerate something, you are saying you can put up with a certain
behavior or certain viewpoint. Acceptance, on the other hand, means
you welcome a certain behavior or viewpoint, even if it is different
than your own. You can have tolerance without acceptance, but there
is no acceptance without tolerance. You may be wondering why it is so
important that we change our framework to preaching acceptance rather
than tolerance. Why must we accept another’s views that are
different from our own? Isn’t tolerance sufficient?
Tolerance
is a good step, and a step that many people in our society still need
to take, but the world we live in is filled with differences. There
are cultural differences, religious differences, ethnic, national,
and historical differences; there are racial differences, ideological
differences, and the list goes on and on. Instead of saying "I
can put up with this viewpoint or behavior or race that is different
from my own” it is imperative that we begin to think “I will
accept this viewpoint or behavior or race that is different than my
own.” Some people may think if you accept someone else’s
difference you are conforming to it. That is simply not the case.
We
can accept that someone has a different view on something without
conforming to these ideals. Accepting the fact that someone has a
different outlook than you does not only promote peace, it promotes
freethinking and the betterment of society. If we are able to accept
that a person’s opinion is different from ours when we are
challenged with a different idea, we are not only open to new
perspectives, but we are able to strengthen our own convictions
through discussion. This is an extremely important aspect of
development and one that modern political philosophers have long
advocated.
Next
time you hear a politician or leader talk about tolerance, commend
them, but push further. Preach the practice of acceptance. Do not
stop at “I can put up with this” but try “I am welcome to new
ideas, cultures, religions, etc.” By pushing for acceptance, we are
pushing for a world that is open, a world that is free, and a world
that lives in peace. Once we begin to accept that others have views
we do not agree with and realize that that is okay, even good, we
will begin to understand the true meaning of peace.
Kathryn Meggan Ust
Guest Blogger
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