Written by As with everything, even active tolerance has its limits.
Certain cultural traditions are inhumane and do not have a place in today’s world (or in past worlds either).
Examples spring to mind: corporal punishment in schools; female circumcision; adultery resulting in the death penalty by stoning.
Must we apply active tolerance toward such norms in order to be culturally sensitive?
The answer is no.
The legitimization of such cultural traditions is criminal.
But, to many, where to draw the line of tolerance is not strictly defined.
The Line for Tolerance
The best definition for the boundaries between tolerance and intolerance regarding culture comes from Randy Cohen, a columnist for The New York Times.
In his column, “The Ethicist,” he explains why we should not tolerate all norms for the sake of religious and cultural respect, writing,
“Tolerance ends where harms begins.”
Actions and behaviors do not get a free pass simply because they are deeply ingrained in a culture’s history and tradition.
While some actions may conflict with moral barriers cross-culturally – like the polygamy in certain cultures discussed in last week’s post – the question is whether or not there is explicit harm as a result of the action.
My father did see some harm in the fact that polygamy could lead to forced marriages of underage girls, and he focused on remedying that by building the affected women a shelter. However, he found consenting polygamous relationships were not, in and of themselves, harmful, so he chose to actively tolerate them, as doing the opposite would directly harm all women involved.
However, as Cohen states, harm – both physical and psychological – is where you might draw the line.
Active or passive cultural tolerance should end there.
The Line for Tolerance is Not Universal
Search Wikipedia, the largest human knowledge repository, for the term, “tolerance,” and you will find, in accordance to the many philosophers who’ve written upon the topic, the idea of the “right of man.”
The “right of man” is the basic human right to live without being harmed by others.
As there is no universal line for tolerance, you are on your own to draw it for yourself when living and working in a foreign culture.
But isn’t this where you should draw that red line?
Asking yourself whether or not physical or psychological harm is done in regards to another culture’s norm or value is the delineation of tolerance.
Keeping your personal integrity intact means knowing your boundaries of tolerance.
Staying within these boundaries will fortify your own beliefs and values while allowing for your understanding and acceptance to explore to the very edges of those boundaries.
Success Across Cultures 