What is the “New Tolerance”?
“Tolerance” is a pivotal concept in our society. In its original usage, it meant something like “putting up with ideas or practices that you disagree with”, or “valuing other people without necessarily accepting their beliefs or behavior”. Today, the meaning of “tolerance” has subtly changed. Now, it means something more like: “accepting logically incompatible belief systems as being equally true, without analysis”. In its original usage, “tolerance” was a valuable concept, necessary for preserving our society and intellectual freedoms. In its current usage- “placing equal value on conflicting/contradictory beliefs”- it is simply illogical. Tragically, the second usage, the New Tolerance, is becoming central in our society, but it is rarely analyzed. Many people are being subtly pressured to accept this idea, with no discussion of its ideological roots or implications. The New Tolerance, acting under the guise of “freedom”, is actually threatening our freedoms of speech and religion. W
