Tolerance is a dirty word | Andrew Sayer | TEDxSemesterAtSea

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences.
Andrew Sayer notes that laws that prohibit slavery, give women the right to vote, and gays the right to marry widen the definition of who is to be tolerated.

Tolerance is a dirty word.

We must eliminate it
from the American vocabulary.

When I say that I tolerate someone,

what does it mean to you?

Saying that I tolerate you
means it's OK that you exist.

In the United States of America,

it's politically correct
to be tolerant of others

regardless of race, religion,
sexuality, and politics,

but law defines
the boundaries of tolerance.

In 1865, law made slavery illegal

and started the process
of white people tolerating black people.

In 1920, law gave women the right to vote

and started the process
of men tolerating women.

In 1965, law pushed
for more racial tolerance,

and last year, in 2013, law mandated

the federal government's tolerance
of gay Americans.

These laws and mandates
are extremely significant,

but they don't change
thought or conversation.

They only widen the definition
of who is to be tolerated.

Tolerance is where we are,

and tolerance is the bar our society
assessed its highest score.

We need to shift
from tolerance to acceptance.

Acceptance of all people is a choice

and in an accepting society,

the people steer the creation of laws

instead of following rules
out of obligation.

But think about America right now,
think about how we converse.

We are not an accepting society.

Topics such as liberal
versus conservative,

pro-choice versus pro-life,

marriage equality, and affirmative action,

can bring conversations to a halt
and destroy friendships.

For a country that claims to be based
on freedom and acceptance,

political collaboration on social issues
is nonexistent and getting worse.

We are worlds away
from my vision of an accepting society.

How do we reframe these conversations

and change the way we view
each other fundamentally?

Education.

America is a diverse nation,

but our education system does not portray
our diversity to students.

Instead, it creates a system
that is rigged for those with privilege.

So why am I speaking to you?

I am a white, heterosexual, cisgender male

who comes from a very loving
and supportive upper-middle class family.

I am the definition of privilege,

and changing the conversation
starts with me.

Imagine the curriculum in America,

based on the acceptance of all cultures
in our nation and in the world.

We have a responsibility to teach
students open-mindedness.

But what will this looks like?

Curriculum based on acceptance

teaches children about
diverse cultures, life styles, religions,

and people's differences around the world.

With education, we can foster
dialogue with young people,

broaden world views,

and provide a platform for students to ask
questions about cultural differences.

Imagine the classroom

that utilizes technology to connect
students from all over the globe.

I see American students getting ready
for a classroom video chat

with students from Royal Thailand.

They have done their research,

and they come armed with questions

ranging from the simple
to the philosophical:

"What do you eat for breakfast?"

"What's your favorite subject?"

"What do you want to do with your life?"

and "How do you want to change the world?"

"What are you scared of?"

"What are the issues in your daily life
that hold you back?"

"And how can we work
together to fix those issues?"

"How do you view our society?"

"What do you know about us?"

and "How can we take
this connection a step further?"

I loved field trips.
Everyone loves field trips.

That's a field trip around the world.

Technology can create
a connection that transcends

our surface level understanding
of cultures.

This is a curriculum of thought,
not tests, not statistics, and not papers,

but ideas about the people around us.

So how do we do this?

It's not overnight.

Acceptance-based education policy

needs to come from individual
state governments.

Some states will have to lead the way,

and with time, others will fall in place,

but it must start now.

Acceptance of all people solves
today's issue of tolerance,

but acceptance is not the ultimate goal.

Some people in this audience
have found and defined a sense of self

that speaks to the absolute core
of their being,

but most have not.

Right now you feel tolerated.

I've laid out a plan to cultivate
a society that accepts you,

but imagine a society that celebrates you.

Imagine a society that admires

the meaningful differences
that make you an individual.

We often forget the huge similarities
that make us all human.

When we remember these,
we get to the level of acceptance.

But the meaningful differences
are what make you an individual,

the meaningful differences create
culture, passion, and self-identity.

The meaningful differences
lead to advancement

in technology, entertainment, and design.

And the meaningful differences
are the essence

of what makes life worth living.

But perhaps to you,
this seems distant and idealistic.

It's not.

In fact, I see the root
of this type of celebration

throughout history
and around the world, everyday.

Look at the Olympics and the World Cup.

These events celebrate global similarity,

people enjoy watching sports.

These events also celebrate

the meaningful differences
of nationality and culture.

The country of Rwanda
is rebounding after a civil war

that ravaged their entire nation.

Kigalians celebrate
a mutual Rwandan heritage

and the meaningful difference
of tribal affiliation

with a music festival based
on cultural acceptance and diversity.

Denmark during World War II,

while other countries persecuted Jews,

the King of Denmark
chose to celebrate them.

Nazi leaders told the King to mark
all Jews with the Star of David.

The King of Denmark said no.

Instead, he celebrated
the Jewish population

by having every citizen,
including himself,

wear a Star of David on their sleeve.

This action saved thousands
of Jews in Denmark.

I've just given you four
out of hundreds of examples

of the celebration
of meaningful differences

that go on around the world everyday.

But these examples only celebrate
one part of a person's identity.

Since when are you only your sexuality?

Since when are you only your race,
only your religion, only your ability?

Although not fully inclusive,

these are still examples
of what we can create.

So how do we take
this model to the next level?

And how do the next group of leaders
go about making this change?

There's been a lot of criticism
about the millennials,

but I believe in our generation.

Statistically, we are more diverse,
more open-minded, and more confident

that we can change the world
than any other generation.

I believe in my generation
because we are better collaborators

and seeking a higher percentage
of employment and education

than our predecessors.

And I believe in my generation

because we are the first generation
in the history of the world

to prioritize happiness above success.

I believe in the students
who choose to study abroad,

and anyone who choose
to participate in globe education.

The few of us
who have had these opportunities

have been able to combine
study with cultural immersion.

We have been able to see and learn

from various ways of life
around the world,

and take from each of them ideas

that can change our society at home.

These experiences can make us
thoughtful leaders of the next generation,

and our experiences
can create lasting change,

they're ripples across the globe.

We can create world peace.

I'm here because I believe
that world peace is attainable.

World peace stems
from an integrated globe community,

and an integrated globe community
will not come when we are all the same,

but instead, when we
fully accept and celebrate

everyone's meaningful differences.

230 years ago, John Hancock
signed a piece of paper

that created a nation under the sentiment
that all men are created equal,

that we are endowed by our Creator
with certain unalienable rights,

that among these are life, liberty,
and the pursue of happiness.

The idea that all people are equal
and the same is at the core of the USA,

but it's a sentiment that has been
incomplete since we became a nation.

Today we tolerate each other,

today we give no credit
to our similarities,

and today our differences rip us apart.

But tell me why can't we create
the nation and the world

that we want to live in,

a world that eradicates tolerance

and celebrates all people?

Thank you.

(Applause)