I have a low tolerance for intolerance
Dec. 23rd, 2006 08:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rabid1stThis may be why Myers-Briggs testing is inconclusive as to whether I’m an INFJ or an INFP. I am too judgmental to be perceptive, yet, too perceptive to be judgmental. I have strong opinions which I defend vehemently (see: other posts in my journal)…but I like other people to have the same freedom to speak out as I allow myself. On the other hand…people often speak up for (indeed, speak to me ABOUT) things I can’t tolerate. Just like Bruce Banner, I don’t go looking for trouble…but sometimes trouble comes to me.
Take, for example, a recent conversation I had with a friend of mine who doesn’t like…gay people or black people or Mexican people or people who do anything differently than she does. She’s a warm wonderful person (yes, really!)…of a certain age…and I like her. I believe she likes me, too. She’s baked me cookies…even though she probably suspects I do things differently than she does…I’m white and straight (at least, as far as she knows*) but certainly she is concerned about me believing strongly in things she doesn’t believe in…like…democracy and gay penguin love.
She knows I don’t agree with her because, all too often, I speak up against her voiced opinions and I even show her the reasoning behind why I can’t hold with her world view.
She will say…”Don’t you think we should…drive homeless people out of town at gun point?” or “Can’t you just burn all the books about gays?” or “I think we should be free to tell people that we don’t want their kind in our town/club/fandom. Isn’t that just freedom of speech?”
And I will argue…with logic and some humor, generally…that the human condition is diverse and that we should try to be tolerant because hatred isn’t good for the Earth or its people. Thaaaaat’s right! I’m that big a dork. I think we should try to be tolerant for the good of babies and puppies and Solstice (or whatever holiday you believe in). But mostly, I think people should be tolerant for their own good. I think life is hard and unforgiving; and love…or goodwill…or even the benefit of the doubt (holding your tongue and turning away when you want to fight) keeps life from wearing you down early. Plus, it protects you from frown-y wrinkles better than Botox. ;->
So a few days ago my friend tells me, with the voice of outrage, that the newly elected Muslim congressperson wants to be sworn in with his hand on the Koran. And she believes that shouldn’t be allowed because…”This is America. We use the Bible! Always have. Always will!” SIGH!
I’m sorry to say…I really couldn’t hold my tongue about that whole Freedom of Religion Amendment. I spilled a bit of bad blood with my saber-sharp logic…and I regret it. Because, I like to think my friend can’t help the way she feels. She’s the way life and circumstance formed her. The world is a fearful and confusing place for her, filled with people who are different or who hold alien opinions and she has to lash out to defend her ‘right view’ of the world (or the gays might take over or something :shrug: ).
So, if I’m so tolerant…why am I telling you all of this? Because…deep down I’m as intolerant as anyone…I fear the loveless and the small-minded, the warmongers and the SUV drivers. I think they might be taking over the world. And while the INFP in me prefers to walk away from bitterness about that (because it can allow that an otherwise good person might drive a Hummer) sometimes my INFJ side just can’t let things go. Which is why I’m glad to have found an LJ community just for my INFJ side…and for yours, too…for those times when someone says or does something we just can’t bring ourselves to overlook without comment. Go be anonymous…and rant! I don’t intend to listen to you (I have creative things to do with my time) but someone might. And getting things down might smooth out your frown lines and protect your heart from dangerous arrhythmias.
http://community.livejournal.com/rabidrants_2/262.html
Rae
*to tell the truth...I'm sort of peachy and I like flowery, alien cock. But...maybe that's TMI.
Take, for example, a recent conversation I had with a friend of mine who doesn’t like…gay people or black people or Mexican people or people who do anything differently than she does. She’s a warm wonderful person (yes, really!)…of a certain age…and I like her. I believe she likes me, too. She’s baked me cookies…even though she probably suspects I do things differently than she does…I’m white and straight (at least, as far as she knows*) but certainly she is concerned about me believing strongly in things she doesn’t believe in…like…democracy and gay penguin love.
She knows I don’t agree with her because, all too often, I speak up against her voiced opinions and I even show her the reasoning behind why I can’t hold with her world view.
She will say…”Don’t you think we should…drive homeless people out of town at gun point?” or “Can’t you just burn all the books about gays?” or “I think we should be free to tell people that we don’t want their kind in our town/club/fandom. Isn’t that just freedom of speech?”
And I will argue…with logic and some humor, generally…that the human condition is diverse and that we should try to be tolerant because hatred isn’t good for the Earth or its people. Thaaaaat’s right! I’m that big a dork. I think we should try to be tolerant for the good of babies and puppies and Solstice (or whatever holiday you believe in). But mostly, I think people should be tolerant for their own good. I think life is hard and unforgiving; and love…or goodwill…or even the benefit of the doubt (holding your tongue and turning away when you want to fight) keeps life from wearing you down early. Plus, it protects you from frown-y wrinkles better than Botox. ;->
So a few days ago my friend tells me, with the voice of outrage, that the newly elected Muslim congressperson wants to be sworn in with his hand on the Koran. And she believes that shouldn’t be allowed because…”This is America. We use the Bible! Always have. Always will!” SIGH!
I’m sorry to say…I really couldn’t hold my tongue about that whole Freedom of Religion Amendment. I spilled a bit of bad blood with my saber-sharp logic…and I regret it. Because, I like to think my friend can’t help the way she feels. She’s the way life and circumstance formed her. The world is a fearful and confusing place for her, filled with people who are different or who hold alien opinions and she has to lash out to defend her ‘right view’ of the world (or the gays might take over or something :shrug: ).
So, if I’m so tolerant…why am I telling you all of this? Because…deep down I’m as intolerant as anyone…I fear the loveless and the small-minded, the warmongers and the SUV drivers. I think they might be taking over the world. And while the INFP in me prefers to walk away from bitterness about that (because it can allow that an otherwise good person might drive a Hummer) sometimes my INFJ side just can’t let things go. Which is why I’m glad to have found an LJ community just for my INFJ side…and for yours, too…for those times when someone says or does something we just can’t bring ourselves to overlook without comment. Go be anonymous…and rant! I don’t intend to listen to you (I have creative things to do with my time) but someone might. And getting things down might smooth out your frown lines and protect your heart from dangerous arrhythmias.
http://community.livejournal.com/rabidrants_2/262.html
Rae
*to tell the truth...I'm sort of peachy and I like flowery, alien cock. But...maybe that's TMI.