Tolerance
is a rare commodity these days. This virtue is hardly found amongst the men and women of
today. Instead, intolerance has grown like the wild weed, all over the world. People have
become hard-hearted, stubborn, non-yielding and narrow in outlook. There were times, when
people of different views, temperaments and faiths lived together like one well-knit
family. There were no jealousy and feelings of enmity. Mutual faults or weaknesses were
either ignored or brushed aside.
But
times have changed. The very concept and meaning of tolerance seems to have undergone a
change. Tolerance formerly meant ability to endure, disposition or willingness to tolerate
or allow permissible range of variations in life style and thinking. But, of late, new
dimensions have been added to its meaning. Tolerance now covers new areas and ranges like
the religious tolerance and political tolerance.
These
days people have grown intolerant, uncompromising and rigid to their thoughts, feelings
and views. No one is prepared to put up with others' views and ideas. “Each one is
law unto himself”. Things have gone so worse that even the teenagers are not prepared
to tolerate the time-valued and proven views of their elders.
May be it is due to the effect of western civilization or the winds of change sweeping all
the world over. The dearth of tolerance has created many problems. The whole texture of
our society seems to have been shattered. The
whole present day tension, bickering, distrust, envy and confusion seems to stem from
intolerance.
Man,
they say, must fight even if he has nothing to fight for. If he has no weapons, he will
fight with fists and stones. The malady, therefore, lies in the very mind and fighting
instinct of man. These days you dare not ask any body to behave or mind his words. If we
differ with somebody, he will become our opponent or enemy. In buses and trains if we
un-intentionally brush with some-body, he will look upon us with bloodshot eyes. Even if
we profusely apologize, he will not be pacified. This is of course, a minor thing. But of
late, things have gone worse.
Look
at religious intolerance. People know that there is only one God and all roads lead to
Him. But fanatics and zealots will always paint a different picture. They will try to
establish that their own God is the best. None of them have seen God. Let us differ with a
person or his political views, but we would like to eliminate him, altogether. The world
has been rocked with many a political murders in the recent past. Gandhiji, Indira Gandhi,
Rajiv Gandhi, Mujib-ur Rehman, Zia-ul-Haq, Kennedy and Bhutto are the glaring examples of
political intolerance. Where are we leading to? To chaos and law of jungle? This malady of
intolerance will certainly lead mankind to the abyss of ruin and destruction.
The
only remedy lies in the inculcation of the spirit of tolerance. Let us learn to endure
with patience what does not suit or appeal to us. Bear with those who hold different
views, put up with those who irritate or provoke us. Listen to those who have unsavoury
things to say. Let us not stifle the voice of reason. Do we not take bitter medicines to
cure deadly diseases? Did Lord Shiva not drink the cup of poison to please the Devas,
after churning of ocean? The famous story of
the tolerant saint and the intolerant scorpion is so well known that we need not repeat it
here.
Finally,
look at the flowers. Do not they bear with the thorns? Look at the sunshine. Does not it
put up with the shade? Does good not live alongwith evil?
Tolerance
is certainly a great virtue. Let it flourish and spread like the banyan tree which
provides shade and shelter to many a weary traveller but itself tolerates the scorching
heat.
In
short, tolerance is the panacea for all ills.