Late Night Philosophy

Why I Tolerate

I see myself as a tolerant man. Some say that I avoid conflict or am a pacifist. Well, I'd rather be a pacifist than a trouble-maker. And in previous entries, I discuss why I'd rather resolve conflict than engage in it. But, in general, I'm tolerant of others. The only thing I don't tolerate is violence against me.

The process I use to tolerate others is simple. I start with the basic assumption that everyone is a jerk. I assume people don't or will not like me and wish to treat me poorly. I could even so far as to say that everyone is out to get me, but that would be paranoid, wouldn't?

So I've learned to accept and tolerate being treated like crap. Hey, that's the kind of childhood I had. I either had to tolerate it or get my ass kicked every day. It's not that I want to be treated like that, but I fight the conflicts I can win.

With that basic assumption that people are inherently mean, I can hardly be surprised when someone sends me a nasty email (which has happened) or pleasently surprised when I receive a nice email (which happens much more often).

So if someone wants be different, then so be it. If I see someone with a face full of peircings, something I find to be silly, I won't laugh at him because I wouldn't want to be as impolite as the rest of the world. He's not affecting me. I know I don't have to look at anything I don't want to. And if I am forced to tolerate something I don't like, why should I get angry when it was hardly surprising that I'd be forced to do something I don't like? The world sucks, after all. And if someone has an opinion I don't like, then I can tolerate it to the point when I'm being pressured to change my own opinion. You want to preach on the sidewalk, that's fine. It's your choice to freeze your ass off. But don't do it my house. You want the glory for yourself, that's fine too. I don't need it. And was I surprised that you're a glory-seeking jerk? Nope. I just won't work with you anymore.

The whole point is, I can tolerate almost anything or anyone up to the point where I am physically in danger or my personal freedom (to either ignore or avoid the problem) is lost.

"I can't imagine a God who would care."
"I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid."
Bishop, Aliens
Please read my journal "Late Night Philosophy" 
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