What did E M Forster write about Tolerance?

Answer 1

E.M.Forster on Tolerance.

E.M.Forster was a celebrated British literary figure who knew deep about the philosophy of the East. He made three visits to India and became familiar with the Hindu, Muslim and Anglo-Indian visions of India. His famous novel A Passage To India has been made into a movie by David Lean. In a radio broadcast, he argued in favour of tolerance. His plea for tolerance is listenable to all countries.

Tolerance is a dull virtue. It just means, putting up with people. Forster laments that no one has ever written an Ode To Tolerance or raised a statue to her. It is the quality which is most needed in a world constantly threatened with wars. It is the only force which enables different classes and races to settle down together as in India. Tolerance is the sound state of mind to base a civilization. A sound state of mind is the only sound foundation to base a stable and lasting civilization. In Forster's opinion God alone has a sound state of mind to base a lasting civilization.'Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.' Tolerance is not just love. Spiritual qualities like Love fails when put into practical uses such as solving the World's problems. Love is a failure in public affairs. 'Love is what is needed' we say and then we sit back and the world goes on as before. We do nothing to change either the world or our attitude to the world. When love fails, people will begin to exterminate whom they do not like, to prevent which tolerance need be practised.

Tolerance has to be practised by peoples, classes, communities and nations. It has to be practised in almost all spheres of human activity- in the queue, in the street, in the railway, in the office, at the factory, at the telephone. Tolerance is not weakness or surrender. It is the strong tolerating the weak. It is a temporary arrangement till the world is in perfect order. According to Forster, tolerance is just a makeshift, suitable for an overcrowded and overheated planet. The world is shockingly full of people who are equally responsible for the colour questions and racial prejudices still prevailing our globe. These inferior qualities clouds the future of even the advanced civilizations. Rather than finding fault with others, we have to turn to ourselves for betterment. It is very easy to find fanaticism in others, but difficult to spot it in ourselves. Till The National Home is completed and Love enters it, Tolerance need be retained as a stop-gap arrangement.

Forster is not alone. All philosophers, prophets and saints from the East have been preaching tolerance through the ages. Gauthama Buddha to Mahatma Gandhi- theirs is a long list. In the West also Saint Paul, the Apostle, Dante, the Italian poet, Erasmus, the Dutch scholar, Montaigne, the first French essayist were all preaching tolerance in Europe. In England there were john Locke, the philosopher and Sydney Smith, the priest. And there was also Forster's famous friend, Lowes Dickinson. In Germany it was Goethe. And thus the refrain:

Buddhan, Gandhi, St.Paul, Dante,

Erasmus, Montaigne, John Locke,

Sydney Smith and Lowes Dickinson

And the poet Goethe.

Answer 2

E M Forster wrote about the importance of tolerance and understanding in his works, particularly in "A Passage to India" where he explores themes of cultural differences and misunderstandings between the British colonizers and the Indian people. Forster believed that tolerance and empathy are essential for fostering mutual respect and harmony among different individuals and societies.