A classic example of a specimen who is tolerated by his pals without giving the faintest hint of being accepted is the club-bore (with 100 per cent attendance). If the honourable member neither is aware of the attitude of others towards him nor mindful of the distance that they manage to keep from him is another matter. While this game between the two parties, namely the club-bore and the rest, mercifully, is restricted to the short evening sessions on week days and a bit extended on week-ends and holidays, the case of the bore-in-one’s-neighbourhood is a different kettle of fish. An enviable quality of the bore, it must be noted, is that most of the times the dialogue with him doesn’t amount to gossiping about others. On this one count, he deserves to be more accepted than merely tolerated. No harm is done to society, thus, as the hero in our foretold episode only talks about himself.

One cannot but make a reference to the episodes narrated in the land’s epics and fables in the context of drawing a line, thick or thin, between tolerance and acceptance. In short, the act of the demons foiling the rituals of the sages by polluting the sacred fire with blood and meat provides an illustration. Such acts, as reported in the media occasionally, are still taking place in the land, including Mysuru.

Having raised the issue of people at large following different faiths disturbing peace in society, triggered by mutual intolerance, one is obliged to the call given by the wise in society to deal with the flared up atmosphere with calmness and maturity. The role of ideologues of faiths followed by the warring sections in dissuading the more volatile elements from mutual intolerance and non-acceptance cannot be over-exaggerated. The underlying factors of dislike and hatred making it hard for one to tolerate and accept other’s views, actions, conduct, culture, customs, food habits, traditions and even appearance need to be reined in. Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), the renowned prolific Irish writer and playwright who reportedly shot back with the words, “I have nothing to declare except my genius” at the customs counter when asked if he had anything to declare.

People who wish to mould their outlook to be citizens with likeable nature will do well to ponder over the famed writer’s view that we dislike people for having faults we do not have, but we hate them for having the same faults we have. Lastly, one’s right to swing one’s arms ends just where the other man’s nose begins.