“Tolerance is giving to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.”
– Robert Green Ingersoll
DOES it sound like irony? It’s the reality.
I’ve written an article about the importance of tolerance in different settings and how the evolution of social media has played a significant role in shaping people’s lives. Upon further observation, discussions, and research, it’s become clear: the value of tolerance is unfortunately declining in today’s society.
And let me tell you why.
With the rise of social and digital media, access to information has become almost instant and limitless. At our fingertips, we now have breaking news, trending opinions, expert takes, and everyday stories, all shared in formats like articles, podcasts, and videos, constantly competing for our attention in an endless stream.
In theory, this abundance of information is a good thing. But in practice, it brings its own set of problems. The internet is a vast space, and not everything shared is verified, factual, or responsible. The line between journalism and personal opinion is increasingly blurred. Today, anyone with a smartphone and a social media account can become a news source, commentator, or even a whistleblower.
This freedom has led to the rise of what some call “citizen journalism”. People document what they witness, post what they feel strongly about, and share content that matters. Some even just create content that has the potential to go viral. In many cases, this has amplified voices that were previously unheard. But at the same time, it has also given rise to misinformation, online hostility, and a worrying trend: cancel culture.
Cancel culture, in simple terms, is when a person is publicly criticised, shunned, or “cancelled” because of something they said or did, often something that goes against public opinion or social norms. On the surface, it might look like social accountability. But taken to the extreme, it becomes toxic. Instead of encouraging dialogue and growth, it shuts people down.
This is happening not just globally, but right here at home across Malaysia. We’ve seen how quickly someone can fall out of favour online, not just public figures or big corporations, but ordinary individuals. A comment taken out of context, a poorly worded opinion, or even a misunderstood joke can spiral into online outrage. People get called out, boycotted, and dragged through the digital mud, often by strangers who don’t know the full story.
All of this points to something deeper: our declining sense of tolerance. The digital world has made it easy to choose what we want to see, hear, and believe. Algorithms feed us content that confirms our views. And if something doesn’t align with what we like? We simply unfollow, unsubscribe, or worse, launch into attack mode. There’s little room for honest disagreement anymore.
As a result, we become more self-centred and less open to other perspectives. We stop listening. We stop trying to understand. And without tolerance, meaningful conversation and diverse viewpoints disappear, leading people to share only the information they believe others want to see and hear, just to avoid being “cancelled”. This is quite alarming because if this continues, we may end up living in a world of insincerity and conformity.
But let’s be clear — it’s not wrong to hold strong opinions. It’s not wrong to call out harmful behaviour. But there’s a fine line between holding someone accountable and tearing them down. Between free speech and reckless speech. Between healthy debate and blind judgment.
The challenge today isn’t just about managing information, but managing how we react to it and to each other. We must ask ourselves:
- Are we engaging thoughtfully with what we see online, or just reacting emotionally?
- Are we giving people space to grow, or are we quick to condemn?
In this new digital age, everyone has a voice, but not everyone uses it responsibly. We need to re-learn how to listen, how to disagree respectfully, and how to tolerate the uncomfortable, especially in an era where everything is amplified online. Because if we “cancel” every differing view, we may just end up cancelling the very idea of dialogue itself.
I remember a conversation not long ago with a university student from Kuala Lumpur, active on TikTok and other platforms. She once posted a short clip highlighting the different Hokkien dialect she uses. Instead, the comments quickly spiralled into mockery, assumptions, and outright hostility.
“I just wanted to help people understand,” she told me. “But for days, I felt like I wasn’t allowed to speak anymore.”
That one experience made her go quiet online, not because she had nothing left to say, but because she no longer felt safe saying it.
Her story is not unique. Across Malaysia, the space for honest, respectful dialogue is shrinking. And that’s something we should all be concerned about.
As one retired journalist from Peninsular Malaysia once told me: “In the past, we had to fight to be heard. Today, the fight is to not be silenced by noise, by judgement, by fear.”
Perhaps it’s time we rethink what we use our platforms for. Not just to express, but to understand. Not just to speak, but also to listen.
Let’s not lose the value of tolerance to the noise of the digital world.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at Shirley.suat@gmail.com.
