Tolerance

n. 1. Quality or state of being tolerant ; freedom from bigotry; toleration. 2. Act of tolerating. [...] Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 1936

"Catchwords or jingles play a literary equivalent of "hide and go seek" (the popular children's game) with meanings. "Tolerance" seems like a good example. Tolerance is good, or it was in the 90's. "Zero tolerance" is better these days, it seems. Maybe that's because the tolerated became the tolerators and suddenly tolerance just isn't so cool anymore. Maybe it's because too much was tolerated by too many and that got old fast. When you understand "tolerance" as putting up with other people and granting them the same freedom you expect, it all sounds pretty absurd. Call it the revenge of the politically oppressed.

Froth at the mouth with Cat Farmer