Tolerance and Respect

The main interpersonal lubricant in contemporary pluralistic society would seem to be Tolerance. People are told to 'Be tolerant' when confronted with those who are different. But though what it prescribes is a form of inaction, its scope is hardly internal and private. 'Be tolerant' really means 'Don't be intolerant', and the latter is more than a merely internal attidude. For, being intolerant generally implies taking action that would counter the object of intolerance. So, the protection of the rights of others is certainly socially significant. But a criticism of Tolerance is not necessarily a defense of Intolerance. The real meaning of the word can be more plainly seen in usages like 'tolerating pain'. In these, the object of tolerance is something disliked that one can rise above and withstand. Similarly, in a social context, Tolerance connotes an attitude of condescending disapproval that is not acted upon. Thus, a pluralistic society based on Tolerance is neither a truly harmonious nor egalitarian one. An alternative to Tolerance is suggested by Kant: Respect. However, the object of Respect in others is not just any aspect of them, but their Rational nature. Appealing to the Rationality of others is the one true mode of respecting them, even if they themselves are lacking in self-respect, and the only way, according to Kant, of promoting true pluralism.