Repressive Tolerance
The term Repressive Tolerance was coined in 1965 by Herbert Marcuse. He was a controversial philosopher who criticized capitalist society and whose idea were adopted by the 1970s leftist student movements. Although his original ideas are controversial he had great influence on popular culture.
I found out about him because my father mentioned the term Repressive Tolerance to me and I decided to look into it. It turns out that Repressive Tolerance, or cooptation as it is more know today, is a very interesting theory which might inspire or benefit you too.
In 1965 Marcuse wrote a paper titled ‘Represive Tolerance‘. I won’t try to summarize it as it covers a lot more than just the simple explanation I am going to give but if you are interested read it yourself here. Today, the concept of repressive tolerance is largely referred to as co-optation. Unfortunately ‘co-optation’ can also mean other things than simply Represive Toleration. But if you look it up you will find a one sentence description of what Repressive Tolerance means:
To neutralize or win over (an independent minority, for example) through assimilation into an established group or culture: co-opt rebels by giving them positions of authority.
The reason I became interested is because this is a common thing to do in business or interaction with people. I just didn’t know there was a term for it.
In practice you can use Repressive Tolerance to solve an argument with someone. Instead of fueling the argument by trying to prove that the other person is wrong, you adopt his argument and become an even greater opponent than the person who first came up with it.
An example: you are in a car with someone. The other person insists that you should go right at the end of the street. You think you should go left. You get into an argument about it. Then, instead of pushing your point, you say:
“You must be right. It MUST be at the right. Lets go right at the end of the street!”
Suddenly all resistance is gone and your partners is now responsible for getting to the right destination. He or she starts to doubt the route and after a few seconds says:
“you know, maybe we should try going left”.
That is Repressive Tolerance at work.
My father used a form of Repressive Tolerance with me and my sister when we were young. Whenever I saw something that I wanted and started begging my parents for it my father simply replied
“You can have it, but not today”.
This became a family joke because I was always completely happy with that answer. My father would use that line several times a day and it always worked on me.
Now that you know what Repressive Tolerance is can you remember using it?
How would YOU apply it?
you sooo right Boris ‘Repressive Tolerance’ is the real thing!