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Why global tolerance?
However you wish to interpret the question, we would love to hear your voice.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Hugh Mouser on -
When I think of the words “global tolerance,” I think of respect for others around the world and their beliefs, whatever their background or place of origin. With the rapid rise of the internet and mobile phones over the last 15 years, we have never been more connected as a human race. I feel like a citizen of the world, not just an Englishman – and yet discrimination and conflict are still rife among us.
This act of respect is vital. As human beings we are naturally fallible, but we are also capable of wonderful things. We have the potential to work together for a better tomorrow if we work hard at understanding and communicating with each other. We’ve seen movements like 38 Degrees grow to 100,000 members within a year, we’ve seen the Pope say condoms are OK, we’ve seen thousands of people come together to hold a peaceful revolution in Egypt. Yet often what the media and our cultural and political touchstones tell us and how they tell it, foment fear and misunderstanding. Humanity faces two of the biggest threats of all time: climate change and a dysfunctional global economy. Already these have cost lives and brought people to their knees. Within us as human beings is the power to change – but we need to cut through the lies, and cultivate hope and understanding across human and geographical divides, so that we can work together and progress as a civilisation.
Apathy towards political change is rife. But the value and power of a true message spoken from the heart can engage people with the need for respect and positive action.
For real social change, we don’t just need to say the right things, we need to communicate in the right ways with the right people. I think building a world of globally tolerant individuals, governments, companies, non-governmental and media organisations is vital to do this. And I think there is a world of people out there who are ready to do just that.
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Permalink Reply by Scott Forbes on -
In today's society tolerance is a trait that many people fail to possess, yet the need for it is something of real importance to the world we’re currently living in, given the vast range of cultures and religions that surround us as citizens today. Tolerance is essential to the development of becoming a global citizen, having a greater understanding of what’s actually going on around us, which includes displaying a higher level of respect to one another.
Tolerance is something most people find hard to comprehend. There are those who feel it’s somewhat shallow, overused and frequently misused, that it’s built upon assumption and doesn’t allow for people to come to their own interpretation other than forcing acceptance. I would argue that this isn’t the case, that there is a place for tolerance on the world stage. You may not agree with a certain decision, an opinion or a thought but with a little tact you learn to tolerate it and get by.
Living in an era of multiculturalism tolerating is something we do best, it’s the stepping stone to generating a dialogue between different cultures, learning new ideas and concepts that we may dismiss at first. But with time we adapt to them and respect that way of living, we ask questions and challenge ideas, we develop our knowledge and we create a shared understanding of values.
It’s about bridging gaps between communities and traditions, respecting one another’s individual beliefs and building a greater global tolerance, that will one day lead us down the right path to answering many of the social injustices that plague our society today.
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Permalink Reply by Maximilian Blair on -
Why global tolerance?
A year and a half ago I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started applying for a year-long placement as part of my PR course at the University of Gloucestershire. Today, a week before my placement ends I can honestly say: Not this!
Almost exactly one year ago I walked through the door of the global tolerance office for a job interview. And when I say job interview, I mean a discussion about media ethics and values. What I had learned about ethics and values in public relations and communications had left me with a slightly uneasy feeling about the practice of some agencies and professionals, so I was surprised and intrigued by global tolerance’s approach of ‘communications with conscious’ and was eager to start as intern. However this didn't happen.
After the first day I realised I was never going to be an intern in this company. I was involved in all relevant decisions right from the start and my opinion and input was not only welcomed but asked for. The next surprise came when I asked for my role within the company and got the reply: “What do YOU want to do? What are YOU interested in?” As a result of my fascination with technology and my previous work experience in a film production company I took on the digital side of things and the digital team, dedicated to all things online and digital, was born. Six months later I was hit by the next surprise - I became the digital media manager.
Working for global tolerance has not only changed the way I look at the communications industry, enabled me to work with interesting clients and on truly inspirational projects but it has helped me evolve professionally and also personally in a way I thought a job could never do. I have been given the opportunity of having no restrictions, no limits to what I could do at global tolerance and this freedom and chance has enabled me to evolve in a way I didn’t think possible for an undergrad student.
I will return to the University of Gloucestershire for my final year with a clear vision of what is coming at me after my graduation and not only that but also a vision of all the opportunities that lay ahead and a clear sense of where my passion in communications is rooted: in the opportunity to do nothing less but to change the world through the way we communicate and through the selection of the stories we communicate. Whatever I will end up doing in future, I know that ethical and positive communications will be a part of it.
But above all this, this Friday I am not only leaving a company that gave me all the opportunities and chances I could ask for but I am also leaving a team of truly inspirational people that I don’t just consider colleagues but friends.
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Permalink Reply by Tessa Adelaar on -
Why Global Tolerance?
A definition of ‘tolerance’ is: a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc.,differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry. Tolerance means accepting, respecting and having an understanding of people different from your self.
We live in an increasing globalised and multicultural world; in London alone, around 300 different languages are spoken. It is our tolerance for each other that enables us to inhabit this complex world of difference. Tolerance is one of the most important values for an individual to uphold as it makes cultural exchange possible, which in my opinion, can only lead to the creation of new, beautiful and innovative ideas.
It is the pursuit of global justice that drives me in my day-to-day work, and lies at the heart of what I do. As a result, I am greatly inspired by the fact that Global Tolerance has such a strong stance on media ethics and focuses on social stories. I love being part of the Global Tolerance team as we have passion for the work that we do and I’m able to put all my energy into managing inspirational stories from interesting and diverse people and initiatives.
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Permalink Reply by Jaime Gutierrez on -
When I think of “global tolerance” I immediately think of “the Other” and of the relationship each individual chooses to establish with “it”. I quickly realize the heavy baggage, wide range of connotations and presumptions the term “the Other” carries; sometimes triggering feelings of fear, distrust and anger (eg. the current debate about migration into the UK).
I truly believe global tolerance is NOT about learning to politely or stoically put up with an uncomfortable situation created by “the Other” so as to avoid violent confrontation; but rather to establish a connection with the Other where feelings of mutual interest, learning/growth and recognition are at the base of this interaction. This reminds me of Rev. Desmond Tutu’s words explaining the African concept of Ubuntu, "to be human is to affirm one's humanity by recognizing the humanity of others. To dehumanize another human being is to dehumanize one’s self”.
I guess this explains in a few words why global tolerance is needed, not because we ought to be fair to “the Other” but because otherwise, we would be harming our own selves. So let’s be sensibly selfish and look after our sense of humanity; and probably then, the question Why Global Tolerance? needn’t be posed ;)
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Permalink Reply by Helen Brown on -
The previous posts are all inspiring and gladden my heart. I'm a lot older than those posters and it is so profoundly encouraging to read such words from people who have grown up in the most selfish, narcissistic, materialistic period of mankind's history. What overcomers you all are! You and your children are the future and it's extremely good to see that not everyone has been subsumed by the sad discontent that seems to typify society in the 'developed' world.
As to the question, there's nothing I can add - the others have already said it all.
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Permalink Reply by Steven Dow Cowan on
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The past 30 years have seen a remarkable rise in religious fundamentalism all over the world. The Iranian revolution of 1979 heralded an upsurge of Islamist fundamentalist political activism, which has gradually spread throughout the Islamic world and has led to terrorism, turbulence, anti-Western extremism and intolerance of other sects, faiths and societies.
Religion has, in a large part of the world, suddenly become the banner rallying the discontented, the downtrodden, the politically oppressed and those who have lost faith in conventional politics. As a result, Islam has found itself demonised by much of the West; many fear a religion that, for the first time since the Crusades, appears to reject Western values, Western politics and the Western way of life.
But it is not only in Islam that extremist values have taken hold. Christian communities on the borderline of Islam have also become more militant - in Sudan, Nigeria, Indonesia and others - and in many Western countries there has been a growing reaction against Muslim minorities. Islamophobia has become a dangerous new form of intolerance. Christian fundamentalists, particularly in the southern United States, have also become more powerful and less tolerant. Religious confrontation has become a common phenomenon around the world, exacerbating political quarrels: the row of Kashmir, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Bosnian and Kosovo wars, communal clashes in India and the war in Chechnya have all seen the malign role that religion has played in stirring tensions and emotions.
Even within Western, largely secular societies, religion has again become a divisive political force. It is not only in Northern Ireland where ancient sectarian tensions still linger; the splits and divisions within established churches, both Protestant and Catholic, have put religion back at the centre of political debate even in a country as secular as Britain, and mutual intolerance has often been the result of differing views regarding the role of religion in society today.
The need for tolerance, therefore, is of increasingly urgent political importance - not just in the global clashes in the Middle East or the Asian subcontinent, but in secular societies in Europe that are increasingly multi-ethnic and multicultural and where religion in recent years has had the effect not of bringing people together but of defining and exaggerating differences.
Governments are becoming increasingly wary of the spread of extremist thinking, especially where it has fuelled terrorism, and have tried to curb the spread of extremist ideas and ban radical preachers, even going as far as to criminalise some aspects of religious activity. But at the same time Western societies themselves have become intolerant of intolerance. Countries such as The Netherlands, once famous for its relaxed outlook and religious tolerance are now bitterly hostile to religious minorities that are seen as a threat to the Western way of life.
Government actions in trying to set up bodies to preach moderation to Muslims, however, have proved almost useless. Any organisation with government money and support is seen by disaffected radical youth as a sell-out, as an attempt to emasculate Islam. Various bodies in Britain have been set up to try to counter al-Qaeda's ideas and the influence of Pakistani madrassas, but without success.
What is needed, especially in an age where media and advertising determine so many public attitudes, is a body such as Global Tolerance that works specifically with groups and organisations, mainly independent of governments that tackle religious intolerance head-on.
Global Tolerance is also tapping into a very real interest in all issues of faith - even among the majority who do not follow any faith. Because of the general media debate on religion, this is now a very hot topic. Any message that a faith-based PR agency wants to promote will find an audience ready to listen, even if the subject matter is not generally agreed. Young people especially are ready to listen to arguments about faith, as they can immediately see social consequences of what religion, and its perversion, can bring to society.
But it is not only religion that is a fertile ground for a faith-based organisation such as Global Tolerance. There is a great hunger for idealistic issues, for causes such as the environment, world poverty and climate change for example which are causes attracting passionate support - far more than any conventional political party. Any PR organisation committed to moral and ethical issues will find both a need and a response, and can become a powerful force to mobilise the discontent with materialist values and the wish to support causes seen as important to society today. This is especially true of the younger generation in Britain, America and the developed world.
Global Tolerance is well placed, therefore, to use modern means of communication, especially the internet and social networking, to promote groups, bodies, causes and organisations that aim to increase tolerance within Western societies and in the wider world. It can use the methods employed by successful PR agencies without being associated with the commercial and materialist aims of many advertising and support causes that will appeal to the altruistic and idealistic forces in British society today.
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Permalink Reply by Simon Cohen on -
Thanks Steven - a provocative piece! gt is not a faith-based group - we are an organisation that aims to shine a light on the positivity and inspiration around all of us. Faith has, as you said, had particularly bad PR in recent times, yet there are millions, even billions of people of faith working hard to make the world a more compassionate place for all of us. Balance, integrity and, dare I say, love, are the values that drive me and my work for global tolerance. Offering tools of discernment, enabling people to make informed choices in life, and believe in something beautiful - this is the legacy of hope I wish to leave. Thank you, again, and lets keep the conversation going.
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Permalink Reply by Steven Dow Cowan on
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Ah yes - sorry I didn't intend to suggest that gt is a faith-based group, I merely wanted to use that as an example because religion is such an influential force, and yes it gets a lot of bad press! But looking over it I can see it does sort of suggest that.
I should also mention the points you and I discussed regarding some of the other differences between Global Tolerance and most (if not all) other PR agencies - i.e. Global Tolerance cuts the crap, to put it bluntly; gt is a PR agency that utilizes the truth, rather than creating spin. Therefore the balance, integrity and yes certainly love are values that will shine through and will indeed enable people to make informed choices. For how can you make informed choices unless you forget all the smoke and mirrors and cut right down to the heart of the matter? I think gt will definitely leave a legacy of hope, because it's already a shining beacon in an all too often superficial world.
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Permalink Reply by Scott Forbes on
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Why global tolerance? - a guest blog
global tolerance strikes me as a company which seeks to shine a positive light into an industry that is being shrouded in darkness and negativity by media and politics. Charities seek to provide finances, resources and both physical and emotional support to those most in need. Yet even international and multimillion pound charitable organisations remain the David to the Goliath that is commercial corporations and I believe that global tolerance is committed to providing this underdog with a voice and teaching them how to use it.In the UK today there is an attitude that poverty and injustice no longer exist, that slavery was abolished by Wilberforce and that poverty only occurs once a year when they are reminded by Comic Relief visiting Africa. This ignorance is intolerable. I believe that a company such as global tolerance is invaluable in ensuring that the existence of social injustice is not ignored by those people who have the ability to create change.
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Permalink Reply by Simon Cohen on
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Great post, Scott :)
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Permalink Reply by Kerry-Ann Francis on -
I am inspired by the capacity inherent in each of us to create positive change in the world. Having worked in the charitable sector, I have seen how one person can make change in the world by bringing people together. You don't have to be Gandhi or Martin Luther King to make a positive difference.
The American president, John F. Kennedy, once said that "tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs, rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others." global tolerance is an organisation that fully embraces those sentiments by using the power of communication and media to help its clients, staff, friends and greater network to champion transparency, truth and cross-cultural understanding. In many ways, I have spent my personal and professional life trying to achieve those goals.
I am passionate about furthering cross-cultural interaction, understanding and dialogue. I also support causes related to the empowerment of women and girls and the education of children.
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