Tolerance:
Intercultural Dialogue Automatic translate

Over the course of the 20th century, the world has not only changed beyond recognition, but has become much larger: now in 3-8 hours you can fly to almost anywhere in the "grown" world. The boundaries of the development of the world by man have expanded, only the question of what to do with this world, especially when meeting with another person, remains open. Such a part of the story as the genocide in Rwanda, the Nanjing massacre, the Holocaust - this list goes on, shows the extreme consequences of what happens when one person, one nation considers his views, faith, culture more privileged. Within the framework of all-consuming globalization and ever-growing intercultural conflicts, the solution to this problem lies, first of all, in the area of ​​responsibility of each individual.

In the past century, the word "tolerance" was included in many dictionaries of commonly used vocabulary and all interpretations agree that this is, first and foremost, tolerance. Despite its apparent simplicity, the issue of tolerance, like other ethical issues, is much more complicated. The absolute truth in this matter is, perhaps, only the human right at any point in the hemisphere to physical existence and cultural development. Initially, the concept of “tolerance” meant the adoption of the “otherness” of a person of another nation, culture, religion.

Russian philosopher V.A. Lektersky identified 4 possible understandings of tolerance:

• as indifference to the existence of other nations, worldviews, religions, and so on;
• as the impossibility of understanding, and therefore interaction;
• like condescension; this understanding is best demonstrated by the formula “I admit the existence of a different value system, but there is mine and it is closer to the truth”;
• as expanding one’s own borders, dialogue and cooperation.

Let us dwell on the last value in more detail. Another Russian philosopher, M. M. Bakhtin, drew attention to dialogism, to each person the path to peace and harmony. The consciousness of a person is initially dialogical (to take at least the moments when we scold or praise ourselves), it is open to the consciousness of another person. The antique dispute did not begin until each participant retold the opponent’s position and the latter did not agree. People have a language - a brilliant tool for mastering not only the surrounding reality, but also understanding. It is possible that it is thanks to him that we can put ourselves in the position of another. It was this desire that spawned art and philosophy.

Vyacheslav Kantor expressed his conviction that “only through the synthesis of tolerance and security can you get synergy”.

Through such communication, a person cannot lose his identity, but makes his world more through another being. Only constant communication with the consciousness of another, an active desire to understand it can be called tolerance and take its place of honor in the system of immutable moral values.

Alexey Grimlin