The concept of "tolerance" means tolerance, tactful and respectful attitude to a different worldview, attitudes, habits, lifestyle, cultural and religious characteristics. A high level of tolerance is one of the main indicators of a civilized developed society. However, this concept has its opposite - it is "intolerance."
Intolerance as a phenomenon
Any manifestations of intolerance are based on a sense of superiority of one (one) individual over another (others). In a broad sense, intolerance implies negative, aggressive manifestations directed against someone whose lifestyle, views, personal or cultural characteristics cause disapproval or dislike. An intolerant person or group of persons considers himself better, higher, more reasonable than those against whom the arrows of their intolerance are directed.
In the historical aspect, the emergence of intolerance refers to the most ancient times of the development of civilization. History knows many examples of intolerant attitudes towards other cultures, forms of religious worship, traditions, lifestyle and everyday life. At the same time, there were many cases of an exceptionally tolerant attitude and even the subsequent symbiosis of cultures, which seemed to have nothing in common. Therefore, we can say that the development of tolerance and intolerance went hand in hand with the formation of human society.
Manifestations of intolerance
Manifestations of intolerance can be different:
- Verbal aggression: abuse, ridicule, censure, neglect, aversion; insult, obscene language.
- Physical aggression: beatings, torture, violence, murder.
- Psychological aggression: threats, intimidation, harassment, pressure.
- Territorial aggression and aggression at the state level: war, genocide, deportation, nationalism, fascism, repression.
- Aggression in relation to manifestations of culture and religion, national symbols: desecration of monuments, graves, flags, objects of religious significance, etc.
This is only a small part of intolerance. Thus, intolerance is a serious threat to the life, health and well-being of people.
Forms of intolerance
There are many forms of intolerance, depending on its causes and object. The most common ones are:
- Ethnic
- religious;
- racial;
- sexual
- age;
- various social orientation.
Each of these types of intolerance should be discussed in more detail.
Ethnic and religious intolerance
Ethnic intolerance is one of the most frequent cases of intolerance.
At the heart of this phenomenon is a sense of superiority of one's own ethnic group over another. In this case, one's own ethnic group is felt to be dominant, preferential, possessing a large number of rights in relation to another group or groups.
Vivid manifestations of this type of intolerance are nationalism and Nazism.
The most widespread and terrible example of ethnic intolerance is the genocide of Jews in Nazi Germany. The sense of superiority of Aryan origin inspired by the German government over others led to the mass extermination of not only Jews, but also Russians, Ukrainians, Poles and others. Concentration camps, gas chambers, repressions, deportations - all these components of the fascist regime have become a manifestation of a sense of self-superiority of the German nation over the "lower" ethnic groups.
Another example of intolerance on this basis can serve as the genocide of Armenians by the Turks in 1915, which led to a huge number of victims among the civilian population.
The worst thing in many cases of ethnic genocide is that often it is not just a social deviation among individual groups, but sanctioned and approved at the state level.
In modern Russia, there are also manifestations of ethnic intolerance, mainly in relation to the so-called persons of Caucasian nationality.
Religious intolerance
Very often, ethnic intolerance is combined with religious intolerance, as other religious characteristics are usually characteristic of other nationalities. The hostility to the nation creates a negative attitude towards everything that personifies it.
In the context of history, it was religious intolerance that caused the mass beatings of peoples. In particular, when Christianity arose, representatives of this religion were subjected to severe persecution and punishment. Subsequently, when Christianity took a dominant position in European civilizations, representatives of other faiths were subjected to persecution and forced treatment.
Racial intolerance
Racial intolerance is a phenomenon characterized by a sense of superiority of one’s own race over another (others). The manifestation of this form of intolerance is called racism.
The most striking example of racism is the situation in the United States. It is known that representatives of the Negroid race for many years were used as slaves in the southern states of the country. The war of 1861-1865 put an end to the existence of slavery as a phenomenon in the United States. However, the attitude towards African Americans for a long time remained (and still remains in some places to this day) negative and full of prejudice. They were not allowed to occupy certain positions, they took them to the lowest paid and dirty work. There were frequent cases of discrimination in public places, transport, and so on.
Nowadays, these manifestations have been minimized, but the echoes of those events are still heard.
Sexual Intolerance
This type of intolerance is manifested more often in relation to the female gender.
Until the 20th century, women actually had neither public rights nor social protection, being considered to some extent the property of their husbands. They did not have the right to work, vote, or engage in entrepreneurial activity. Those who dared to violate these prohibitions were subjected to ridicule, insult, and sometimes violence.
Movements and movements for women's rights softened the situation and granted women a number of public rights. However, even now one can observe a negative trend with regard to the provision of jobs for women, career opportunities, etc.
Age Intolerance
In Japan, there was a cruel custom: feeble old people were taken to deserted territories (for example, in the mountains) and left to die.
Among other ethnic groups there are similar examples when people of advanced age were either killed or left to their own devices.
In the modern world, the situation is more favorable. But, unfortunately, situations often arise when old people are left without proper care and care, believing that they have lived their own. An example of age-based intolerance is the failure to provide older people with jobs, as it is believed that their cognitive processes are not as good as those of young people, and the work process may be affected.
It happens the other way around: it is difficult for young people to get a job due to lack of experience.
Another example of age-related intolerance is neglect of adolescents. It is believed that these are immature people, irrational, incapable of making the right decisions. However, adolescents are often able to show much more common sense than adults.
Intolerance is a phenomenon that affects other social groups, in addition to the above, for example, people with disabilities, representatives of certain professions, people with unusual hobbies, and so on.
Uncertainty tolerance
This term refers to a person’s ability to make the right decisions and calmly respond to new, unusual, uncertain or obscure situations. Failure to respond in this way is called intolerance to uncertainty.
In general, intolerance is a serious social problem that threatens the well-being of not only individuals, but entire nations. It is important to recognize the relevance of this problem for its successful resolution.