The Limits of Diversity and Tolerance

I have always thought of myself as a tolerant person and someone who values diversity. I still think of myself that way, but more and more I am seeing the limits of those concepts in our culture. Maybe you have seen it too. It leads me to ask a question: What are the limits of diversity and tolerance?

There is incredible pressure in American culture today to be “inclusive” and tolerant. I don’t think anyone would disagree with that. And, I think there is much good in the diversity we are working to embrace. At the same time, there is a growing sense of discomfort among many in the culture who do not feel “accepted.” What is interesting to me today is how many of those people come from majority population segments. Here’s the crux of the matter. Diversity and tolerance today press upon us the need to recognize, understand, support, accept and embrace minority cultures. It emphasizes the importance of “seeing” and “embracing” the cultures of people of color, LGBTQ+ cultures, minority religious cultures and other minority identities. In so far as we can embrace that kind of diversity and demonstrate acceptance of those peoples and those cultures, we are ourselves accepted. But what happens if someone or some group of people find those cultural expressions unacceptable?

If I wrote today that I cannot “accept” the efforts of the transgender community to promote and extend the “rights” of biological males to participate in sporting activities with biological females and that I would vote against the extension of such “rights,” would that make me intolerant? I suppose it would, but what if I wrote that I believe on the premise of “critical race theory” that white Americans are infected by systemic racism and their access to power and influence should be specifically limited. Am I not also now intolerant?

These are just some things I have been thinking about that I want to explore further. Here is the central idea, and I would like to have some discussion around it. I believe that the very heart of culture, all culture, is the values you hold so dear that you are unwilling to yield those values. In other words, culture is completely centered in the non-negotiable values you hold as your own. I believe that everyone one of us has those values and that when we encounter threats to those values we express our “intolerance” in whatever ways we believe are necessary to protect and defend our culture. I also believe that the modern appeals to tolerance and diversity neglect or even perhaps ignore the values of other cultures and are attempting an overthrow of culture that is neither diverse nor tolerant. On the contrary, modern movements for tolerance and diversity seem to be intentionally intolerant of any culture or group that does not specifically adopt, promote and accept their views of culture.

I have no doubt there are many people who will disagree with this, but I’m curious so see what you think. Let’s talk

Shalom,

Kevin