Are we a more tolerant society today?

[JLM]

This is a subject with a multitude of pros and cons. We are more tolerant of some minorities and we are less tolerant of such things as pedophilia and child abuse. But are we also not more tolerant of bad behaviour as indicated by more lenient sentences handed down to violent offenders? We are more tolerant of drugs (I'm not talking marijuana) running rampant. WE are more tolerant of paying higher insurance costs to cover damage done by bad behaviour. I have two questions- one - are we more tolerant over all? and two- how much tolerance is a good thing?

 

[ironsides]

If that is what you want to call it, I guess we are a more tolerant society, but is it because we just don't want to deal with situations anymore?

 

[taxslave]

I'm not sure we are more tolerant, just that we seem to have abdicated our responsibility to a bunch of grossly over paid social workers that do not believe in punishment.
True most of us (YJ excepted) have come out of the dark ages and understand that homosexuality is genetic, not a lifestyle choice and we at least give lip service to equality which compensates for the PC going overboard on it.

 

[JLM]

If that is what you want to call it, I guess we are a more tolerant society, but is it because we just don't want to deal with situations anymore?

You may have hit a nail right on the head.

 

[The Old Medic]

Overall, I believe that society has become much more tolerant, believing that "personal behavior" has no real effect on society as a whole. That's why virtually everything that used to be condemned is essentially tolerated now.

You can have virtually any sexual deviance and it is considered "OK" so long as it is two consenting adults. Then, we get all crazed when or children pick up our attitudes and begin experimenting with all of those sexual behaviors.

We are tolerant of virtually any behavior, so long as it does not directly affect us. Then, we scream and holler about the massive underclass in our cities, that can't work, can't support themselves and live on the streets. Yet we will not finance adequate and mandatory mental health care, because they have the "right to be crazy".

Far all too many people, morality is strictly relative. There are no rules anymore, just whatever you think is OK. Then people wonder why our societies are falling apart.

We lock up addicts left and right, while those making millions from the drug trade walk free. We prohibit addicts from obtaining legal drugs, with guaranteed purity, which only drives the price up and up, and then punish them for doing illegal actions to feed the habit that we effectively told them it was OK to develop.

We tolerate any type of sexual behavior, so long as it is not flaunted. Then, when it become obvious that some are harming children, we all gasp in horror and wonder how this could possibly have come about?

We are huge on our rights. We have the right to do anything, at any time, without consequence. But, there is almost never any real commitment to responsibility. We aren't responsible, society is, the government is, our parents are or were, but never US.

 

[JLM]

How many people are working in high paying jobs today for supposedly "taking charge" but WILL NOT make a decision?

 

[petros]

Tolerant or forced to keep quiet through fear of persecution?

 

[JLM]

Tolerant or forced to keep quiet through fear of persecution?

Another salient angle for sure. :smile:

 

[VanIsle]

Tolerant is one of those odd words with more than one meaning hidden there. If we are merely being tolerant of homosexuals and other races, than maybe we are just being complacent or as Petros says-fearing persecution or as Ironsides says - avoidance. I'd like to think that most people have accepted the reality of things like homosexuality and the realization that a different colour of skin is nothing more than that.
Where tolerance comes to mind for me is in our day to day treatment of each other. I'm not talking about either homosexuality or racism. People are just generally rude these days. People in stores will either block your way or bash into you with no apology for doing so. Everyone is in a hurry so people are honking horns for others to get moving and everyone is swearing and cursing. I used to be shocked by people like that and now I am pleasantly surpized when I come across someone who says "excuse me" or "sorry" or simply smiles. Minor courtesies make a major difference.

 

[AnnaG]

I'm going to echo VanIsle. I think we've become "more tolerant" of the major differences between people, but I think that is because we are tired of dealing with it. Anti-hate laws help, too.
I think societal pressures like higher tax burdens, disasters like Katrina, BP oil, etc., economic crashes, CEOs that screw their companies and getting rewarded for it, and so on make us less tolerant of the minor details. So we polarise everything and nitpick a lot.Governments and the newsmedia don't help with their dishonesty, also.

 

[lone wolf]

Tolerant ... or calloused?

 

[AnnaG]

Tolerant ... or calloused?

That, too.

 

[Said1]

No, we are not more tolerant. Tolerant is accepting someone's choice to be wrong, apathetic is probably a better word to describe certain behaviors and life styles that have become more acceptable.

 

[YukonJack]

Taxslave - in true 'tolerant' fashion - you decided to be personally abusive and a LIAR, to boot, and opined:

"True most of us (YJ excepted) have come out of the dark ages and understand that homosexuality is genetic, not a lifestyle choice and we at least give lip service to equality which compensates for the PC going overboard on it."

Now, that you displayed your superiority and benign tolerance, would you please quote any of my posts where I said anything intolerant about about homosexuality, with the possibly exception where I might have had the nerve to say that I favour traditional marriage.

 

[karrie]

I would say, overall, we are more accepting of diversity, not merely tolerant of it. We have fewer expectations that people fit a cookie cutter mold. Or perhaps it's just that we have more cookie cutters... lol.

 

[Said1]

The more exposure you have to something you are constantly being told is right, the less you notice it going on - in a bad way, or care. You accept it and move on, nothing to be afraid of anymore....:lol:

Humans are adaptable creatures, with the right conditioning, we can get used to just about anything.

 

[JLM]

Tolerant is one of those odd words with more than one meaning hidden there. If we are merely being tolerant of homosexuals and other races, than maybe we are just being complacent or as Petros says-fearing persecution or as Ironsides says - avoidance. I'd like to think that most people have accepted the reality of things like homosexuality and the realization that a different colour of skin is nothing more than that.
Where tolerance comes to mind for me is in our day to day treatment of each other. I'm not talking about either homosexuality or racism. People are just generally rude these days. People in stores will either block your way or bash into you with no apology for doing so. Everyone is in a hurry so people are honking horns for others to get moving and everyone is swearing and cursing. I used to be shocked by people like that and now I am pleasantly surpized when I come across someone who says "excuse me" or "sorry" or simply smiles. Minor courtesies make a major difference.

Yes VanIsle I see lots of examples of what you describe, but I think I still see more examples of people being kind, considerate and helpful. I think driving is where you find people at their worst, and I've no idea why. You'd think a person walking might have more of an excuse to hurry than one who is driving. :lol::lol::lol:

I'm going to echo VanIsle. I think we've become "more tolerant" of the major differences between people, but I think that is because we are tired of dealing with it. Anti-hate laws help, too.
I think societal pressures like higher tax burdens, disasters like Katrina, BP oil, etc., economic crashes, CEOs that screw their companies and getting rewarded for it, and so on make us less tolerant of the minor details. So we polarise everything and nitpick a lot.Governments and the newsmedia don't help with their dishonesty, also.

These "hate laws" open up another subject- is it a worse crime to beat me up because I'm black than it is to beat me up because I have buck teeth? That law is a total crock of sh*t. Beating up someone is criminal- hating someone isn't - end of story.

 

[Cliffy]

Yes VanIsle I see lots of examples of what you describe, but I think I still see more examples of people being kind, considerate and helpful. I think driving is where you find people at their worst, and I've no idea why. You'd think a person walking might have more of an excuse to hurry than one who is driving. :lol::lol::lol:

Perhaps because driving is un-natural. People used to walk many miles in a day to get where they were going. It is a lot less stressful, good exercise, and calms the mind. For a million years we did without the iron horse. It has only been around in common use for less that 100 years but we have become so addicted that most people would sit down and die without the damn things.

 

[karrie]

Perhaps because driving is un-natural. People used to walk many miles in a day to get where they were going. It is a lot less stressful, good exercise, and calms the mind. For a million years we did without the iron horse. It has only been around in common use for less that 100 years but we have become so addicted that most people would sit down and die without the damn things.

In my experience it's because people come to think of their vehicles almost as appendages. A risk to their vehicle is a risk to them. It's also a risk to their passengers. And so they get uniquely threatened.

 

[YukonJack]

" I think driving is where you find people at their worst, and I've no idea why."

"Perhaps because driving is un-natural".

"In my experience it's because people come to think of their vehicles almost as appendages. A risk to their vehicle is a risk to them. It's also a risk to their passengers. And so they get uniquely threatened."

Some scientists promote the theory that the weight/volume of brain compared to total body weight has a lot to do with intelligence.

Lot of people, getting in their vehicles, become one with them, thereby reducing the proportion of brain/body weight - i.e. - intelligence, to that of a dinasour.