Acceptance, Approval & Tolerance #1000Speak #MondayMusings

Jul 20
NabanitaDhar

Man is a social animal.

This is one sentence which appeared over and over again in my text books while at school. I must say though I had gotten quite tired of it by the time my school life came to an end. But man a social animal, dependent on his fellow beings in more ways than one, was a fact taught, discussed and, in a way, hammered into us. And why only in books, through the social fabric too the same was propagated. While I’d like to believe, and mostly it’s true, that my survival as an individual is not at all contingent on being surrounded by people at all times, I do know there are exceptions to this rule. Whether I like it or not, there is a direct bearing of what my near and dear ones think of me on my state of mind. 

I need to believe and know that my family and friends accept me the way I am for me to carry on living peacefully. And that’s alright as well but what bothers me at times  is that the perception of people outside my inner circle affects me too, sometimes more than it really should. I attribute this behavior of mine to the very first sentence in this post. In fact, I’d actually like to add to that. Man is not just a social animal but a social animal desiring acceptance. However, how far we accept and are accepted is a matter of choice, habit, upbringing and certainly something debatable.

As human beings you and I have this innate fear of the unknown, whether we acknowledge it or not. It is something that has defined our behavior over ages. History has borne witness to wars arising out of this intolerance for anything alien to our line of thinking. We all know what happened when Galileo proclaimed that the earth goes round the sun and not the other way round. Acceptance and therefore tolerance doesn’t come easy to us. Of course, today as a society we are much better placed but you and I both know there’s still a long way to go. But why am I talking about acceptance today? Well, perhaps these few points below would clarify that.

Peer pressure. You would have certainly been privy to this phenomenon at some point or other in your life. But why does this come into the picture in the first place? The need for acceptance, the need to be understood, that’s why. You and I both know the horrors this unwelcome guest has often resulted in the lives of many over the years.

Acceptance into the family of the man or woman you love. So many fights, so many issues could be avoided if it came easier to all. The approval of our loved ones, no one is immune to that need.

Hate crimes stemming out of a chauvinistic mindsets. Race, language, religion or region, you name it, why do you think it still raises it’s head and causes so much damage all around the world? The lack of tolerance of anything and anyone different.

It could also simply be embracing the tragedies in life and moving on instead of stagnating. Fighting for survival or happiness,all of it begins with the acknowledgment and acceptance of the need to do something.

Most important of all thought is the acceptance of yourself in your own eyes. After all, if you don;t love, respect and like yourself for who you are no one else will.


So, to end the day, let’s promise to work on acceptance in place of intolerance for a change and take it from there. How does that sound? I leave you to think about it.

Ciao.

#MondayMusings

 

#MicroblogMondays

22 thoughts on “Acceptance, Approval & Tolerance #1000Speak #MondayMusings”

  1. Well said – we need to accept our own self, we need to compare us with no one else but our own self, we need to inspire ourselves and then only we will truly love ourselves for who we are.

  2. Yes, I promise to continue to work on acceptance always in place of intolerance. And to know that self-acceptance is where it all truly starts.

  4. What a wasted and meaningless life it would be if all our choices, decisions, actions or even emotions and thoughts were to be directed by this need for social acceptance! I have never really appreciated this line about man being a social animal 😀 I suppose, you can guess why!

  5. I think the best way to 'get acceptance' is 'to give acceptance' to others.
    If we give anything, we may get back in many folds …. good … or … bad…!

  6. Oh well, I believe most importantly one must accept oneself. This is the crux of all happiness. Else we just turn into people pleasers and unhappy folks who try to please all and turn miserable. While acceptance is important, civility is even more important. Even if I may not agree with something and in turn not accept it, what right do I have to impose my choice on another person? Yes, aim for being human and not of the Salman kind.

  10. True Beloo… Sad part is some of the things, bad things, that happen around us are due to this very need for social acceptance…

  12. You have said it Rachna…For me it's me and my inner circle…Yes, I do get upset when certain friends or acquaintances misunderstand me but I don't let it change myself…In the end I live accepting myself the way I am and trying constantly to accept others too, unless they are too obnoxious to be accepted…

  13. Life is too short to waste time on wondering what other people think about you. We must encourage ourselves and believe in ourselves.And never let our hopes and dreams be taken over by the blinkered outlook of others. Accepting yourself as who you are, with your strengths and weaknesses, is so vital for success.

  15. With the last line you said it all Shilpa..Accepting yourself as who you are, with your strengths and weaknesses, is so vital for success.

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