John Locke's Influence On American Society
The largest belief systems in America today is not one of a particular religion, but rather it is a toleration of the beliefs and worldviews of everyone else. This largely influential ideal seemed to have originated during the Enlightenment period with writers and thinkers like John Locke. The Enlightenment was a period of time where finding the truth was held above all else. This era was accompanied with ideals such as humanism, secularism, individualism, and toleration. The one that most influenced America was tolerance. These newfound realizations and ideals of the Enlightenment revolutionized society and is one of the main causes for how Americans shape their worldviews today. “Tolerance has become the cardinal virtue and sole absolute
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His very influential, “Letter on Tolerance” was written to appease highly violent social and religious disagreements. He wrote this in response to the horribly bloody Catholic vs. Protestant wars, the Inquisition, civic and religious persecution, and his first hand experience of persecution when he was in exile in Amsterdam. These epidemics cannot be compared to the civil, yet still important, modern debates. Locke explained that his use for tolerance was that it took away cause for hostility, helped those were believed differently to gain trust and acceptance, to live peaceably with one another, and it also helped to separate the church and state. Locke says that the state’s responsibility is entirely and only secular: to protect the public good and to provide peace and security. (Locke, Letter Concerning Toleration). Tolerance is a mentality that can be good, and was meant to bring peace and stability, but more often than not, it is used as an excuse to shut people down and cut off any controversial topics. It is used so there is never a point where there are people who are uncomfortable. Sometimes people do not want to hear the truth because it contradicts their beliefs and they like to stay comfortable in their actions. Tolerance can be good in some ways. Locke meant for toleration to be a way that violence between opposing religious, social, and racial groups would be
His very influential, “Letter on Tolerance” was written to appease highly violent social and religious disagreements. He wrote this in response to the horribly bloody Catholic vs. Protestant wars, the Inquisition, civic and religious persecution, and his first hand experience of persecution when he was in exile in Amsterdam. These epidemics cannot be compared to the civil, yet still important, modern debates. Locke explained that his use for tolerance was that it took away cause for hostility, helped those were believed differently to gain trust and acceptance, to live peaceably with one another, and it also helped to separate the church and state. Locke says that the state’s responsibility is entirely and only secular: to protect the public good and to provide peace and security. (Locke, Letter Concerning Toleration). Tolerance is a mentality that can be good, and was meant to bring peace and stability, but more often than not, it is used as an excuse to shut people down and cut off any controversial topics. It is used so there is never a point where there are people who are uncomfortable. Sometimes people do not want to hear the truth because it contradicts their beliefs and they like to stay comfortable in their actions. Tolerance can be good in some ways. Locke meant for toleration to be a way that violence between opposing religious, social, and racial groups would be