Megha Soor
Bumpus
INT 201.0V9
16 February 2017
Today’s Tolerance
Tolerance appears to have changed definition over the years from the obligation not to
tolerate the perceived immoral to the obligation to accept the legitimacy of the morally
different. But as humanities have advanced in technology, medicine, education, and such fields,
today, tolerance requires affirming the rightness of the nonconventional and nontraditional.
Today, we are tolerant of those who differ from us in appearance, belief, or behavior, yet live
with the same rights. Today, tolerance underpins democracy, and is essential for a society that
prizes individual freedom and opportunity. Though each individual interprets “tolerance” for
themselves, Barry Schwartz’s publication “Tolerance” and David Gray’s Tedx Talk “Tolerance:
What’s the Point” offer a defining statement of tolerance through two varied perspectives.
Barry Schwartz strategically uses the first person perspective in his publication to
incorporate his audience and include them into his two views on tolerance in society. In his view,
tolerance is “neither to accept it or merely to put up with” (Schwartz 14). He discusses two
different perspectives with regards to tolerance – acceptance and to put up with. Schwartz writes
that “we try to instill tolerance in our students as we teach them to respect differences among
people and among groups” (Schwartz 12). This supports that tolerance is often taught to people
when facing a certain situation rather than an innate feature that is automatically displayed. As
society continues to grow and evolve, it also demonstrates to “value tolerance,” as it’s important
to respect human rights by remarking one’s own condemnations and accepting that others adhere
