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Intolerance of intolerance: Intolerable?

Posted 28 months ago|21 comments|557 views
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Here's a little logic puzzle. Say you've got Person A, Person B, and Person C.

Person A hates Person C, but not because of anything Person C did. Person A just hates something intrinsic to Person C. Perhaps it's skin color, the shape of the eyes, or the way the letter C curves from top to bottom. It doesn't matter. Whatever it is, Person C has no choice in the matter, and changing it is impossible.

Person B thinks Person A is acting in an illogical, irrational way. Person A says, "Why hate C for what can't be changed?" Person B protests against Person A for being intolerant.

Person A counters with claims that Person B is actually the one being intolerant, because Person B doesn't tolerate Person A's beliefs.

So who is actually being intolerant? Does Person A have a valid point? And if Person B acquiesces to Person A, does that make Person B intolerant of Person C?

I know where my predilections lie in this question, but I'm curious about how other people think.
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28 months ago: Oh, and here's an extra complication you can add to the mix, which hopefully evens out some of my own obvious biases. Let's say whatever it is about Person C that Person A hates, it's something Person A believes Person C chooses, while Person B and Person C believe it's not a choice.
28 months ago: Gregoire, you're correct of course. You are Person D. So am I. So is anyone not directly involved. But let's try to keep it as clean as possible. As Person D, let's say you can only observe, not interact with A, B, or C. You may only watch as A judges C and B judges A. You gain or lose nothing in your own assessment of them, and they will not be informed of your assessment.

So... In your personal opinion, which one is intolerant? A? B? Both? Or neither? And what's your reasoning?
28 months ago: C caused the problem for not slapping the crap out of both A and B.
28 months ago: Siempre, I'm afraid your comment left me scratching my head a little. I thought this was very simple:

- Person A dislikes something about Person C.
- Person B dislikes Person A for disliking something intrinsic about Person C.

Everything else is just window dressing.
28 months ago: As for who they are? Except for D (who is all of us), it doesn't really matter. I'm just curious who people believe to be more intolerant and why, B or A.
28 months ago: Since C was a party to both dislikes

- Person A dislikes something about Person C.
- Person B dislikes Person A for disliking something intrinsic about Person C.

C is guilty.

Like I said before. C should slap the crap out of A and B.
28 months ago: I think you're all forgetting about Person π, Person ZZ-TOP, and Person ! now. OK, this is getting silly...
Altruist
Altruist
Eugene, OR
28 months ago: The problem is that Persons B and C are living in the real world dependent upon logic and reasoning. Person A's hatred of C is irrational and not based on something that is C's fault, or something that C could change, but A thinks he can change it and that it is C's fault. B points out to A that his hatred is irrational and then A says that B hates A for no reason. B who was just trying to defend C begins to wonder why he got involved in the first place. A thinks B should shut the hell up and let him discriminate against A.
D thinks, boy am I ever glad that I didn't try to defend C because then A would hate me also.
A is full of hatred for anyone that doesn't agree that he should be allowed to discriminate against C.
All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for men of good conscience to do nothing.
28 months ago: Oxygen, Hydrogen, Nitrogen...

Gen..Gen.. that was too funny AL,
living in the "Real World".

Try it before you buy it.
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
28 months ago: I used Wolfram Alpha to research this question and it came up with:

"Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure how to compute an answer from your input"

Then I tried Wikipedia and the first result was Augustine of Hippo; I think he might fit the Person A profile (after he converted) and the Person B profile when he was a pagan.

Having no idea about Person C, I finally resorted to using Google and it led me right back here. Must be a trick circular question.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
28 months ago: In a scenario with A, B, and C as the only players, A and B would both be righteous, or askew, in equal measure. A dislikes C for something intrinsic to C (I think hate is too strong a term here, and as person Z, I get to decide). Since A's dislike of C is something he can't quite explain, it's just the way he is, that would make A's dislike of C intrinsic to A.
Therefore B dislikes A for something intrinsic to A, a trait intrinsic to B, and causing A to reciprocate with dislike of B, leaving C the only neutral party, since you made person D be the judge of A and B, but saw fit make C behave only as a catalyst in the relationship between A, B, and D.

Hmmmmm, we may be onto something here.
28 months ago: cypress;

RIGHT ON!


Heynnnnnn.

Person B is a liberal, and person B is the only person with hate in their heart.

Do I win?
28 months ago: "C caused the problem for not slapping the crap out of both A and B."

nuff said
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
28 months ago: Noni, Now that I look at it again I would like to address your addendum.
Actually, your addendum does nothing to even out anything, it just attempts to make A look even more unreasonable, from the perspective of B.

A, as far as I can tell from your arrangement , doesn't give a hoot about what B thinks about either A or C.(It's a personal freedom of thought thing)
B has a problem with what A thinks about C. B thinks that by siding with C, it makes them a team. Meanwhile, while A and B are at each other's throats, C picks their pockets, and runs off with their money, and gives it to FR.
DeanFox
DeanFox
England
28 months ago: I judge not on beliefs but on the results of actions.

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