Tolerance - is it a product of structure or of culture?

Copenhagen, 7 August 2017

Tolerance - is it a product of structure or of culture?

Denmark clearly functions as a tolerant society. But from talking to folks here and from observation, it... appears that the tolerance is very much a product of structure. People and society are very tolerant as long as individuals follow the "rules" and stay within the established "norm". For example, any deviation from the rule is quickly pointed out. If a biker innocently breaks a rule, a few people on the road remind him/her firmly (almost rudely). Sides of stairs to a swimming pool are marked "wet side" and "dry side", and I ended up using the wrong side as I needed to hold the rails on the right side. I was told I am breaking the rule! Same with elevators.

My friends here tell me that the normally polite behavior changes when people drink and then conversations can get profane and rude. I have not seen this part. In many ways, Danish society and its normative rule-driven personality reminds me of a Japan or a Germany or a Singapore. Tolerance in daily life seems largely a product of structure. What happens then if rules and structure established for a certain context (homogenous population, industrial economy, etc) get challenged due to changes? Will structure change or fight to retain status quo? Is there also another route to tolerance, one more innate and culturally created with less rules and laws that can flexibly accommodate to change in a dynamic adaptive way?