Page - 145 - in Reflective Cosmopolitanism - Educating towards inclusive communities through Philosophical Enquiry

IN AND OUT THE PARk (MANUAL) 145 According to the United Nation’s definition, for example, tolerance is an active mental atti- tude of critical openness that, through knowledge, practices “respect, acceptance and appre- ciation of the rich diversity of our world’s cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human,” recognizes universal rights and liberty, and blocks the dangers of social exclusion. From a philosophical-scientific perspective, tolerance has been considered a condition for us to approach the understanding of concepts of scientific truth. Through the principle of tolerance we accept debate with others and we are willing to question our opinions in case you find potential errors. This process is a rational method used to reach the truth. Nonetheless, common sense understands tolerance in its most literal sense as a kind of patience and endurance, and since nowadays we invoke tolerance in relation to the co- existence of ethnic and cultural differences, we have to be very careful that the common sense meaning of tolerance doesn’t become synonymous with a requirement of patience or endurance. It is possible, and even likely, that the concept of tolerance in its common use conceals a silent racism. Tolerance, understood as an abstract concept, refers to someone other than oneself, who, as long as he or she remains in the domain of pure abstraction, risks lacking real objectivity. Consequently, when tolerance is not concretized in the form of a real life re- lationship, it does not include the contradictions that this Otherness brings forward. In this way, in order to dispel the prejudice as to physical, cultural, and linguistic dif- ferences, we risk promoting an opposite prejudice based on the unqualified acceptance of ethnic and cultural differences, provided that each one knows his or her place. We should, instead, attempt to reflect on the fact that, even if the other people are different independently from their cultural, economic, and social condition - that is, as indi- viduals - they are fellow human beings and, as such, are neither good nor bad (just as I am neither good nor bad from their perspective). When confronting others, my disposition can neither be positive nor negative if I had not first been in contact with them; only when this is the case will I be able to express a judgment, being careful not to make generalizations. In the fourth episode, Gaetano is very clear when, with his joke, he “defines” his friend Mario; he gives him dignity as a person because he had the opportunity get to know Mario’s personality in his relationship with him in everyday life without being interested in the rumours that depict Mario as a thief. You can find further information about the concept of “tolerance” and “prejudices” in the manual to Ella, episode 2 and 6, Hanadi, episode 5, Christian, episode 3 and episode 5 of this manual (In and out the park). Exercise: Talk about yourself A. Report an episode when you didn’t feel tolerated. Say what feelings and thoughts you had about yourself and the people involved in the situation. B. Report an episode when you felt tolerated but not accepted. Say what feelings and thoughts you had about yourself and the people involved in the situation. Then, say what the difference is, if any, between being tolerated and being ac- cepted. Provide some examples if you find it helpful. Activity: The secret code The students form two groups. Each group represents a very cohesive commu- nity that has to choose a color as its symbol. After choosing the color, the groups