A lot of people confuse respect with tolerance, but they are not the same thing. This was debated when Cambridge University decided to implement a freedom of speech policy demanding respect, which caused a huge backlash, not just within the university. As many argued; respect cannot be manufactured at will. If you don't respect an idea (for example that the Earth is flat), then it doesn't matter how hard you try; you still will not respect it. In that sense respect is like belief; nobody can force you to believe the Moon is made of cheese. You can pretend to believe in something, and you can pretend to respect something, but you really don't. Any policy that asks people to pretend is not a good policy. What should be asked for is tolerance. Tolerance simply means allowing an idea to exist, and that's what the Git project should ask from participants within the community. We don't need to pretend we respect other viewpoints, we just need to tolerate them. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/09/cambridge-university-rejects-proposal-it-be-respectful-of-all-views Signed-off-by: Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@xxxxxxxxx> --- CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md b/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md index fc4645d5c0..3324d9f151 100644 --- a/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md +++ b/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md @@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Examples of behavior that contributes to creating a positive environment include: * Using welcoming and inclusive language -* Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences +* Being tolerant of differing viewpoints and experiences * Gracefully accepting constructive criticism * Focusing on what is best for the community * Showing empathy towards other community members -- 2.30.0.rc1
