Famous Tolerance Quotes

One of the key qualities of being human is that we are all capable of thinking for ourselves.

On one hand this gives us freedom, but on the other hand it has the potential to lead to a situation of disagreement and tension.

As a whole the primitive modern world was not a very tolerant place and little value was placed on the eccentric, the ‘un-cooperative’ or those who were marginalised. The rulers of the world, monarchs, aristocrats or patriarchs generally believed in conformity: and those who disobeyed would live in exile or were executed in some cases.

In that time, division was considered a threat and an act of disloyalty.

However, our world has invoked many changes and tests the limits of intolerance on a daily basis and today we continue to fight for equality and tolerance for all.

Mega Interesting has chosen some of the best tolerance quotes of our time:

"Toleration is the best religion." (Victor Hugo) 

"Nothing is more attractive to a man than his courtesy, patience and tolerance." (Cicero)

“It is not for me to judge another man's life. I must judge, I must choose, I must spurn, purely for myself. For myself, alone.” (Siddhartha)

"And as I've gotten older, I've had more of a tendency to look for people who live by kindness, tolerance, compassion, a gentler way of looking at things." (Martin Scorsese).

“It's a universal law-- intolerance is the first sign of an inadequate education. An ill-educated person behaves with arrogant impatience, whereas truly profound education breeds humility.”(Solzhenitsyn)

"What a sad era when it is easier to smash an atom than a prejudice" (Albert Einstein)

“We are all full of weakness and errors, let us mutually pardon each other our follies. It is the first law of nature” (Voltaire)

“Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it." ( Jefferson)

“I do not like the word tolerance, but I can not find a better one. Love pushes to have, to the faith of others, the same respect that you have for your own.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

“Tolerance is the virtue of the weak.” (Marquis de Sade)

 “From smokers we can learn tolerance. I still do not know one who has complained about non-smokers.” (Sandro Pertini)

“That two and two are necessarily four, is an opinion that many share. But if someone honestly thinks otherwise, let him say it. Here we are not surprised by anything.” (Antonio Machado)

 “Tolerance, tolerance, little word on the tablecloth, few dishes are served, many mouths to eat.” (Silvio Rodríguez)

 “When you want to be pleasant in society, you must resolve to allow many things we know to be taught to us by people who ignore them.” (Chamfort)

“The bigots that we should fear the most are those that can be confused with tolerance.”(Fernando Arrabal)

“Let us get out of this doubtful tolerance that makes us tolerate the intolerable - misery, hunger, the suffering of millions of beings. Outside this cavern we will find the brightness of the sun - that of compassion and fraternity.” (Federico Mayor Zaragoza)

“Balanced tolerance is the germ of freedom and harmony.“ (Francis Castel)