Society & Politics

The Trade Offer of the Century: Tolerance for Morality

This image is not mine and is owned by The Circle.
This image is not mine and is owned by The Circle.

When people think of tolerance it usually comes in the form of gay pride or the war of black and blue. Is this really what this beautiful compromise has come to in these days of gray? How long are we going to let these uneducated masses misuse the words that we need to hold most dear?

Let's start with the definition of tolerance.

"The ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular, the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with." - Google

Now we know what it means so let's look at how this applies to our world. As I mentioned above, the War of Black and Blue, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and the list goes on. There are plenty of subgenres, so to speak, of intolerance and the steps, we have taken to achieve a peaceful society for the future. We have taken acceptance to a new level and it is at an all-time record high. However, with these new adventures and missions to squash out hatred against certain groups we seem to have lost valuable morals and standards that have kept us standing tall as a nation.

Free speech, love, and courtesy. Words like these you would hear from your parents or the old school hippies of the sixties.

>Free Speech

has become one of the worlds most used phrases as of late. To speak without limitation and resentment. Expression of ideas and morals without being ashamed takes guts. No doubt it has become easier. But have we as a nation over-ruled this freedom? How is it that we still shame others for not agreeing with us in this era of information and love? People have turned the tables and now the ones who were unafraid to challenge the system have gone into hiding and are outcasted as uninclusive or retarded.

>Love

is a noun and a verb. Love doesn't commit to one person or category of life. It has variables and a multitude of meanings. One can say the phrase "I love you" to a spouse or a family member and everyone would know what kind of love is mentioned. The Greek have eight different kinds of love and some languages have more. Now the term is overused and repetitive like an old school record with a scratch. We mumble the same words every day and have driven the meaning into the proverbial ground. No longer are the innocent days of romance and class. We use the word to drive away haters who disagree with our way of life. Those who claim to have the most of it often have the least.

>Courtesy

the showing of politeness in one's attitude and behavior toward others. My mom always made sure I remembered my manners as a child. Please and thank you were often heard around my home and the respect lingered throughout the air like the scent of a warm candle in the evening. In today's light, we see people disregarding the rules of the past in order to free the next generation of their bonds. Dropping bombs, mass shootings, riots, and sit-ins. We no longer have the decency to think of other. We cling to our beliefs to take others down.

I'm going to say right now that this is my opinion. I see other taking the plunge. I refuse to take the trade that I know will take us away from what we really want. Will you take the deal? Or will you wait to see how it unfolds?

- Sokanon Lee

The Trade Offer of the Century: Tolerance for Morality
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