Paradox of Tolerance: To Tolerate or Not to Tolerate? - Democratic Theory Series | Academy 4 Soc...

Philosopher Karl Popper described the paradox of tolerance as the seemingly counterintuitive idea that “in order to maintain a tolerant society, the society must be intolerant of intolerance.” Essentially, if a so-called tolerant society permits the existence of intolerant philosophies, it is no longer tolerant.

**Think Further Questions
1. Should we tolerate intolerance on the basis of freedom of speech?
2. Are there certain contexts in which restricting freedom of speech is beneficial? Give specific examples.
3. Should the authority to limit intolerance be given to the government or the people? Why?

**Contents
00:00 - Problem
00:31 - Explanation
01:16 - Paradox of Tolerance
01:37 - The History
02:41 - Applying It

#academy4sc #civicseducation #democracy

[conorcurran]

1. I think we should allow intolerance to be spoken due to the fact that a restriction on speech/control of language can be damaging to expression in society. We do have to be willing to face natural consequences though. You can't be surprised, in the example of hate speech, if people aren't a big fan of you and cut you off of Twitter, etc.

2. A particular context where freedom of speech might be curtailed is in most relationships. If everyone spoke exactly what was on their mind to their partner then a lot of relationships would falter. Specifically, if one man tells his girlfriend of all the women he wishes he could be with he probably wouldn't have a girlfriend too much longer. There does need to be some sort of filter.

3. Both. People will naturally have a sort of tolerance filter based on what they do or don't like to hear in every day life. Also, the government, assuming that they do their jobs properly, should represent the interests of the people. Where the two interdepend is that the people should be intolerant of a government that seeks to control too much, as well as too little. And the government should be intolerant of an unruly population or a population that is too passive.

[stephencornelius]

This is a very narrow subject. There’s way more than just intolerance that we can’t tolerate in a just society.

[idlesudhanshu]

Freedom of speech with some societal limitations so everyone should be able to exercise freedom of speech. But how to decide whcih views are tolerant and which are intolerant? It must be back to the society who they consider acceptable and who's views are intolerant. We can't define what are tolerant and intolerant ideologies. That's why democracy, in my opinion, is kind of messed up.

[okaro]

>huge misrepresentation of Popper. He did not mean people who have different views with intolerant. He meant people who refuse discussion and resort to violence.

"In this formulation, I do not imply, for instance, that we should always suppress the utterance of intolerant philosophies; as long as we can counter them by rational argument and keep them in check by public opinion, suppression would certainly be most unwise. But we should claim the right to suppress them if necessary even by force; for it may easily turn out that they are not prepared to meet us on the level of rational argument, but begin by denouncing all argument; they may forbid their followers to listen to rational argument, because it is deceptive, and teach them to answer arguments by the use of their fists or pistols. . "

"fists and pistols" In the modern discussion it is the left who is closer to that definition than the right.

[TomMyersComedy]

The guy on the left podium raises some good points

[KevinVang]

Isaiah 5:20 proves the paradox of tolerance.

[infernal]

video should be renamed to "4 minutes justifying fascism"

[FreeAgentInLife]

I wish the dislike button was still there

[bravofoxtrotllc]

This is the dumbest concept ever, might as well just have a Gestapo with Brown Shirts!

[andrewevans]

Garbage video, garbage ideas, as dangerous as they are though it's okay that you have them. Please don't round up people like me and put us in a camp though.

[NativeVsColonial]

0:09 It is selective freedom of speech, i.e. Trump's Twitter ban.

[guillermoelnino]

Right Tolerance: Live and let live
Left Tolerance: Silencing, mur dering and covering up everyone who doesn't adhere to the ever changing dogma