Wide Open Wednesday
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 6:59AM 
Welcome back to Wide Open Wednesday. This weeks rambling discourse is on Tolerance...
It's been on my mind a lot this week. It is difficult to ignore the examples of intolerance we see and hear every day... it feels like we're bombarded by it in the media through reports of religious and political intolerance. This week I also read some fairly strong examples in blogs I visit semi regularly.
I realize it's a cliche to say I can't tolerate intolerance. Mutually exclusive terms and all that. It's a conundrum for me.
I remember my proud-to-be-non-traditional Grammy becoming more and more traditional in her views as she aged. And my dad has gone from a fairly tolerant attitude to a markedly rigid view of the world in what seems like a few short years. So much so, that I've made certain topics off limits for us. I feel like I need to be ever aware of the possibility of becoming less tolerant of people with differing views.
Yet I feel very strongly (another conundrum for a passive person such as myself) that we're becoming such a polarized society that taking a non position is viewed as taking a position against someone or something else. Politically, it seems to me that the extremes of both major parties cannot tolerate an ideology anywhere near the middle. Are you with us or against us?
And I'm almost scared to bring up religious intolerance even on my own blog. Although in my heart of hearts, I don't think religious views or differences should affect my online or real life friendships. It is a non issue to me.
All of which just leaves me wondering.... whatever happened to civil discourse? Compromise? Finding common ground? Acknowledging our differences and moving on? Whatever my dearly held beliefs, I assume yours are just as dear to you.
Enough rambling... time to go squeeze my chubbiness into my work clothes. Those thin mints are irresistable!
AG out!
cheese with that whine?, dreams in Modern life 
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Reader Comments (12)
Amen AG! Amen!
Mama beat me to it .. AMEN!
Amen Sista!
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Oh that's pur-tee!!
Nicely put. I actually dislike the term tolerance - at least in its use regarding others beliefs, backgrounds and differences. I don't want to be tolerated. I want to be respected. We all deserve that - if not because of our differences, at least in spite of them.
I think the same thing. As long as you, my neighbor, are being a decent citizen, I could care less what religion, sexual orientation, or other personal choices you make. For goodness sake, that is what America is supposed to be, is it not?
I'm right there with you.
People used to have to disagree civilly because it was necessary
It seems like we have more opportunity to opt in or out of groups with specific attitudes these days. You can get your news from a source that will edit to fit your attitudes, and we do so much interacting with others online, and most of that can be filtered into situations where you're exposure to differing perspectives is actually decreased rather than increased. And even in the real world we are so much more mobile that we can choose churches, friends, activities by our beliefs rather than by proximity. In some ways this is wonderful - but I wonder if this polarization is the unintended effect.
Ahh! So true! It is almost as if you become a target for a severe tongue-lashing if you try to compromise with someone's viewpoint. It is definitely "are you with me or against me" syndrome. It is scary!!!
Congrats on your POTW award
Hugs
SueAnn
A thoughtful post. Congratulations on the potw.
It seems to me that civil discourse is a casualty of the media need to make news "entertaining." Conflict sells, civil debate is boring. We also seem to have moved from and interest in the truth or falsehood of positions to the simple-mindedness of "fair and balanced." Let's cling to an ideology and fight, rather than seek a genuine answer.
It seems to me that this is convenient for a number of interests. My 2 cents.
Feel free to disagree ;-)
Congrats on POTW mention from Hilary
http://thesmittenimage.blogspot.com/2010/03/posts-of-week_17.html
Well said...I notice many folks become more traditional/rigid/intolerant/conservative as they get older. I wonder why...because the world grows so rapidly, they shrink back into a familiar time, when their parents were the ones becoming more traditional, and they were more tolerant. Familiarity is comfortable I guess.
Happy POTW!
Well written. "Why can't we all just get along?" seems to be a theme for me this week trying to play referee for stupid little cat fights at work. Congrats on Post of the Week!