Intolerance

I like words. I suppose that's not a surpise. Words like wrought and indicative and melee just really float my boat. Here's a word I don't loathe: intolerant. Why? Because it can't mean anything.

Here are the specifics of my least favorite word:

in·tol·er·ant 
[in-tol-er-uhnt]

–adjective
1. not tolerating or respecting beliefs, opinions, usages, manners, etc., different from one's own, as in political or religious matters; bigoted.

Intolerant labels people when their views don't line up with popular ideals. (As a Christian, intolerant frequently labels me when my beliefs don't line up with others'.) You'll notice intolerant is a "nicer" way of calling someone a bigot.

Here's where my problem presents itself. When someone accuses another person of being intolerant, the former is actually being intolerant. (Ever gone through a revolving door? Me neither. Hm... oh, I know. Ever seen a hamster on a wheel?) The sickness of going around and around and around in circles is the feeling intolerant evokes.

If you call me intolerant then you are being intolerant because you aren't tolerating my opinions.

Let me try to simplify that. If I'm a bigot then you're a bigot for saying that I am one. That's not just my opinion. That's by definition of the word.

I think I'll get off this hamster wheel, now. I'm feeling queasy from going around in circles.