“La règle d'or de la conduite est la tolérance mutuelle, car nous ne penserons jamais tous de la même façon, nous ne verrons qu'une partie de la vérité et sous des angles différents.”
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Attribution note
The English original is verified with a dated primary (Harijan 22 July 1947, CWMG Vol.88 p.239); this candidate is a French translation of it. The attribution is sound, but the text itself is a translated rendering rather than the primary English wording.
Likely origin: French translation of a verified Gandhi line: Harijan (22 July 1947), in The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. 88, p. 239 ('The golden rule of conduct is mutual toleration...').
Review the attribution sourceAbout this quote
Because no one holds the whole truth, disagreement is the normal condition rather than a failure. Treating tolerance as a working rule lets people cooperate without all thinking alike: you hold your own view firmly while assuming the other person sees a real piece you are missing.
When to use it
- Two adult siblings with opposite politics keep showing up to Sunday dinner without trying to convert each other.
- A design team lets one member's stubborn objection reshape the plan instead of steamrolling it.
- Neighbors of different faiths share a street and quietly adjust their routines around each other's holidays.