Final answer:
The danger of tolerance is that it may be confused with respect and lead to complacency, the acceptance of harmful ideologies, and support systemic discrimination. Tolerance without a critical stance can perpetuate existing biases and contribute to social injustices. The paradox of tolerance highlights the complexities in balancing free speech and protecting society from intolerant ideologies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The real danger of tolerance lies in its potential to be mistaken for respect, leading to numerous negative social consequences. Tolerance, as promoted within a postmodern cultural context, does not intrinsically include acceptance or consideration of the value or worth of different behaviors and ideas. This misguided concept of tolerance can have detrimental effects, such as complacency, indifference, and even the acceptance of harmful ideologies, all of which can lead to systemic oppression and undermine the pursuit of justice and equality.
By its very nature, tolerance can become a double-edged sword in the realm of social dynamics. For example, the concept of normative ethical relativism contends that moral standards are not universal, which implies that tolerance may not be inherently positive in all cultural contexts. It becomes a precarious value when it contributes to the continuance of inherent biases like racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination.
The paradox of tolerance illustrates the challenge in balance. States that allow freedom of expression must navigate the delicate line between protecting free speech and restricting harmful or intolerant ideas, a struggle exemplified in the regulation of speech in liberal democracies and historical examples like apartheid in South Africa.