Leaky Bathtub Theory

Ever had a leaky bathtub? For a few days nothing happens. At least, nothing you can see. Inside the walls, plaster is soaking up bathwater, getting slimy. Soon the ceiling starts to turn yellow. Not a nice bright canary yellow. Not a soft creamy yellow. A sickly, uneven, splotchy yellow with some brown and maybe light green where mold is already taking root. Not a nice sight for guests.

For some tolerance is the new golden rule: Tolerate others as you would have them tolerate you. On the surface that sounds fine. At times we need to put up with what we don’t like. Medicine can be bitter. Kids hate spinach. But it’s still good for them. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need medicine. Vegetables would taste wonderful. Exercise wouldn’t tire us out. The problem is we don’t live in a perfect world. Sometimes good and bad come together in the same package, and there’s no way to get the good without the bad.

However, there are plenty of things that can’t be tolerated. Lies, corruption, terrorism, violence, or greed are just a few. Like the leaky bathtub, they stain the fabric of society, harming the people that make it up, be they loved ones or strangers. In many cases tolerance is the wrong path to take. Leaving leaks untended means mold, stink, and stains. Plumbers—at least, successful, rich and famous plumbers—don’t put up with leaks. We shouldn’t either. Friends, family members, and even countless strangers are constantly walking through our lives. We can’t tolerate leaky bathtubs: we’ve got company.

By Benjamin O'Loughlin