"Tolerance and apathy are the last virtues of a dying society."
The above is a quote often atributed to Aristotle, but it actually belongs to Sir Auckland Geddes. It's quote that's been thrown around and memed a bit, but it shines an inconvenient truth on a popular "virtue" of modern society.
I don't know how long the term "tolerance" has been in circulation in popular society. It feels like it's been there ever since I was young, but however long it's been around, that singular concept seems to have done immeasurable harm to society. It's opened the door for some of the worst traits of humanity's fallen state to normalize themselves into our civilization.
Moreover, the concept was so lauded as a virtue that it created a villain out of intolerance. The word "intolerance" is usually said in popular society with an upturned nose and a look of either anger or disappointment.
As usual, this is a clever trick by leftists. The two words, "tolerance" and "intolerance" can help create divided groups. You're either on the side of the tolerant good, or the intolerant bad, and if you get painted as belonging to the latter group, woe be upon you.
But if you break down what tolerance ultimately is, it's the willingness to let things happen to you, no matter how inconvenient or evil you might see it. What you call "evil" might actually be noble or virtuous to someone else, and you only think it's wrong because you haven't normalized these things in your mind. The "virtue" of tolerance will help you see these things in a different light, and we can all coexist in peace.
That's the left's sugar coating of it, but let me translate that for you into more realistic terms.
"Tolerance" is the demand that you don't care or stand for anything. "Tolerance" demands you abandon your beliefs and watch passively as things you know to be wrong are committed right in front of you. "Tolerance" is the demand that you sit down, shut up, and let your individuality be swallowed silently while forces act upon you and your family, your friends, and your community in ways that are ultimately destructive.
Matt Walsh recently made this clear, sending "The Young Turks" host Cenk Uygur off on a tangent.
Matt Walsh said, “We need to be intolerant. Intolerance is a virtue. Intolerance is good, intolerance is holy, intolerance is Christian, intolerance is moral and courageous.” This is why I'm on the left.
When some on the right say this about any of us - Muslims, blacks, gay people, etc. - you're saying we don't want you! Ok, I heard that loud and clear. Then, do you expect my vote after you told me you can't even tolerate me?
I know he doesn't speak for everyone on the right, or even a majority. But it's guys like him who use culture wars to divide us. Another reason why I hate the culture wars.
I think our greatest strength is when we are the UNITED States of America.
Matt Walsh said, “We need to be intolerant. Intolerance is a virtue. Intolerance is good, intolerance is holy, intolerance is Christian, intolerance is moral and courageous.” This is why I'm on the left.
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) October 19, 2025
When some on the right say this about any of us - Muslims, blacks, gay…
Notice the sophistry.
Ugyur turned what is clearly an argument against allowing evil into one about racial harmony and national pride. This is usually how the left tries to frame intolerance: as a rejection of anything that isn't white or rooted in Judeo-Christian values. He uses one of the actual key virtues of the United States, the melting pot principle, as proof that intolerance is un-American.
America is a melting pot of different races, creeds, religions, and lifestyles. "Tolerance," as we practice it, usually revolves around one American leaving the other alone to live his or her life as they see fit, but the line for "tolerance" is easily crossed over, especially by those on the left, even as they preach tolerance.
And this is where "intolerance" reveals itself to be the real virtue.
We should be intolerant of the LGBTQ+ community when it begins trying to involve the youth. We should become intolerant of Islam when it begins attempting to force its backward Sharia laws on our free society. We should become intolerant of any group that wishes to control society either through violent force and destruction such as Antifa or any other radical leftist group. We should be intolerant of socialism, communism, or any other dictatorial style of government that demands the individual citizen be looked at as a number instead of a human being.
We should be intolerant of anything that demands we replace our hatred of evil with passivity and apathy.
Intolerance is a far greater virtue than tolerance ever will be.