Acceptance Versus Tolerance

So I got a comment about the fact that tolerance and acceptance being two different things. (and gently pointed to the fact that I was getting them mixed up) I don't really know if I was getting them mixed up or not, but it got me thinking. I don't want confusing posts that sway from one thing to another, how is anyone supposed to get the point then?

Of course I first went to the dictionaries. I try to use multiple dictionaries to find an accurate definition.

To receive with favor. To receive as satisfactory or sufficient.

So apparently acceptance is a sort of positive reaction. Hm.
Tolerance is more an act of endurance. You're in disagreement with someone, but you don't actively oppose them, you endure it. Whereas acceptance is....agreeing...no, not really. I shouldn't have to agree with someone just to accept them....right? Maybe not. If I'm not in agreement, does that mean I'm practicing tolerance? Is there a point where I just don't have an opinion? Am I being accepting then?

If I'm tolerating something, I'm in disagreement yet enduring despite that. So whenever I'm not in disagreement, I'm accepting. Is there ever a time when I'm not in disagreement, yet not agreeing? Ugh. Brain hurt. I don't think so. If someone throws a baseball, I don't have to disagree with them over whether or not someone else could throw it harder. But neither do I have to agree with them. Does that make sense? Not really. If I don't agree with them I'm disagreeing. There isn't another option. Not that I can see, in my view. It seems like it should be possible, but I don't see it. Can I be neutral in something? Neither in disagreement or agreeing? If I'm not disagreeing, agreement is default, whether I care or not. Maybe I'm just going in circles now.

Alright. bizarre or not. Two guys fighting over a chicken, and one guy says he should get it. Neither do I agree or disagree with him. I don't care. I don't know anything about him. It's a chicken. Is the only time I cannot be agreeing or disagreeing be when I don't make a decision at all?

After looking at my previous posts, I see something horrible.....tolerance doesn't strictly mean you're in disagreement. Now I've spent more than a hour on this. I don't know if this negates most of this post or not.... And now I don't care.

I have spotted one definite place to change a word. I'm not an editor, so I may be unclear in areas, but in general, I tried to keep tolerance and acceptance apart.

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