# So, in the name of Tolerance, what will we be tolerating next? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 7, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261 "2010-12-07T12:19:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/1 "2010-12-07T12:19:29Z")
In 20, 50 or 100 years from now, what will be commonly tolerated by the majority of people that is currently not tolerated by the majority of people? I am guessing recreational drug use will eventually become heavily tolerated (at least in the western world) over the next 100 years, all in the name of “what consenting adults choose to do in their own time that isn’t directly harming anyone else” etc etc. I am sure it will be likewise with gay marriage. What other things do people think that humanity will more or less be tolerating within the next 100 years? ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/2 "2010-12-07T12:28:41Z")
I think we have reached the plataeu of tolerance. I can’t see peadophilia becoming tolerated anywhere in the Western world (it might even go in Afghanistan), and there aren’t that many other taboos left. EDIT: Maybe bestiality and incest might become ok. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/3 "2010-12-07T12:28:45Z")
Children working - we have an idealised notion of childhood where kids are excluded from economic activity. This seems to be a reasonably recent development (historically speaking), and is a result of mechanisation and a time of relative plenty where kids don’t need to work. I could see a situation where global warming, or overpopulation, or some other massive driver for social change forces us to involve children in work (farming, production, caring etc), and it will be accepted. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/4 "2010-12-07T12:50:55Z")
Heavily genetically/cybernetically/otherwise heavily altered people, artificial life forms, uplifted animals, artificial intelligences. Things that are not human anymore if they ever were, but are still the equal of or superior to a human. As the result of a mostly automated economy, a large number and eventually a majority of people who don’t work, never intend to work, and have no job prospects even if they were interested. Both of these presume society doesn’t collapse of course. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/5 "2010-12-07T12:56:41Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > Children working - we have an idealised notion of childhood where kids are excluded from economic activity. This seems to be a reasonably recent development (historically speaking), and is a result of mechanisation and a time of relative plenty where kids don’t need to work. > > I could see a situation where global warming, or overpopulation, or some other massive driver for social change forces us to involve children in work (farming, production, caring etc), and it will be accepted. Cite: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWu-QOVekeU](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWu-QOVekeU) ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/6 "2010-12-07T12:59:50Z")
Given the high relative reproduction rates of muslims and fundamentalist christians as compared to the rest of the population, I am cynical about your premise. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/7 "2010-12-07T13:05:26Z")
Stem cell research ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/8 "2010-12-07T13:29:50Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > I am guessing recreational drug use will eventually become heavily tolerated (at least in the western world) over the next 100 years, all in the name of “what consenting adults choose to do in their own time that isn’t directly harming anyone else” etc etc. You need to 1. Read more Victorian Literature. Reading how Holmes has no major vices and only overuses Cocaine causes a modern reader to splutter. 2. As for “Western World”, drug use in the Middle East and parts of S Asia and by that I mean _legal_ drug use is at a level that would mean 10 years in jail in other countries. Per the OP 100 years from now I actually expect there to be less tolerance for some things. It is not a continuing march of “openess”, more like a swinging pendulum. The Victorian era was far more prudish than the preceding Regency era for instance. ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/9 "2010-12-07T13:42:40Z")
Polygamy Younger ages of consent Steroids in sports Public nudity ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/10 "2010-12-07T14:45:35Z")
I think the premise of this thread is faulty. I do not accept that as a society we do tolerance for Tolerance’s (big ‘T’ there) sake. There isn’t a Tolerance spectrum on which everything sits, and the more tolerant we are the farther down the spectrum we go. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-in-the-name-of-tolerance-what-will-we-be-tolerating-next/563261/11 "2010-12-07T14:52:27Z")
Polyamory. Marriages of constellations of people numbering 3 or more. Not pedophilia but child sexuality (children with other children of appropriate ages). Getting out of the pants, physician-assisted (or no-assistance) autoeuthanasia. Parenthood arrangements of other than / more than 2 identifiable parents. Legalized pot. Legalized LSD.