Tolerably So

So often when I read libertarians, I often get the feeling that something missing. So it is with this from Robin Hanson via Alex Tabbarok.

“Tolerance” is a feel-good buzzword in our society, but I fear people have forgotten what it means. Many folks are proud of their “tolerance” for gays, working women, Tibetan monks in cute orange outfits, or blacks sitting at the front of the bus. But what they really mean is that they consider such things to be completely appropriate parts of their society, and are not bothered by them in the slightest. That, however, isn’t “tolerance.”
“Tolerance” is where you tolerate things that actually bother you.

Well, he has come up with a definition that fits the case he wants to make - that he is more tolerant than you - but I think it lacks both justification in the traditional use of language and cogency as an argument. The usual dictionary definitions of tolerance actually de-emphasizes the notion that tolerance has to be of things you hate. By that standard, the ancient Romans were a lot more tolerant than us, because they tolerated pedophilia, slavery, and mass public murder for entertainment.

Sometimes the dictionary is worth a peek. Here are the four relevant meanings from one:

1.a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.
2.a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own.
3.interest in and concern for ideas, opinions, practices, etc., foreign to one's own; a liberal, undogmatic viewpoint.
4.the act or capacity of enduring; endurance: My tolerance of noise is limited.

Only the fourth definition comes close to Hanson's meaning. All the others clearly refer to what he won't accept as real tolerance.

I would argue that is some behavior or group offends one, one ought to try to figure why it offends you. I find that I can often find good reasons that I can justify for being offended - and in those cases I see no good reason for tolerance. Other times, I can't find any excuse other than ignorant prejudice - and that signals a good reason to start tolerating. With luck, I will reach a state where it doesn't bother me.