--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You become more tolerant when you become…" description: "\"You become more tolerant when you become older. You're not interested in rapping people over the knuckles; you're interested in understanding them.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/claire-tomalin-8837_become_you-become-more-tolerant-when-you-become_583068.jpg" --- # You become more tolerant when you become older. You're not… ![“You become more tolerant when you become older. You're not interested in rapping people over the knuckles; you're interested in understanding them.” quote by Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/claire-tomalin-8837_become_you-become-more-tolerant-when-you-become_583068.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/claire-tomalin-8837_become_you-become-more-tolerant-when-you-become_583068.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/claire-tomalin-8837_become_you-become-more-tolerant-when-you-become_583068.jpg) > “You become more tolerant when you become older. You're not interested in rapping people over the knuckles; you're interested in understanding them.” [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aging brings tolerance and empathy, shifting focus from confrontation to understanding. **In simple terms:** Older people tend to be more understanding. Key Takeaway Practice empathy over judgment. Themes tolerance empathy aging Mood compassionate thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace conflicts - family disputes - community building - mentoring Key Concepts emotional intelligence generational perspective Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster empathy now? - What steps help you listen without judgment? A Different Perspective Physical decline may limit patience despite intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rapping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapping/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [I read somewhere that it's scientifically proven that kids who read 'Harry Potter' grow up to be more well balanced and tolerant when they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-fox/i-read-somewhere-that-it-s-scientifically-proven-that-kids-who-read/) [Phoebe Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-fox/) > [I didn't know much about my Native American ancestry, but as I got older I became more interested in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-robinson/i-didn-t-know-much-about-my-native-american-ancestry-but-as-i-got/) [Alan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-robinson/) > [No one wants to hear my perspective on politics, but I think honestly as you get older, you get more interested in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danica-patrick/no-one-wants-to-hear-my-perspective-on-politics-but-i-think-honestly/) [Danica Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danica-patrick/) > [When I was younger, when I was at school, I did read a lot of fiction. I think as you get older perhaps you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/when-i-was-younger-when-i-was-at-school-i-did-read-a-lot-of-fiction-i/) [Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/) > [The older I get, the more interested in good meals I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-cannavale/the-older-i-get-the-more-interested-in-good-meals-i-am/) [Bobby Cannavale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-cannavale/) > [“It is good to be married to an archeologist because the older you get the more interested he becomes in you. Agatha Christie”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-bullock/it-is-good-to-be-married-to-an-archeologist-because-the-older-you-get/) Shirley Bullock > [I don't know why, but the older I get the more interested I get in my parents' marriage. And it's interesting to be married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhumpa-lahiri/i-don-t-know-why-but-the-older-i-get-the-more-interested-i-get-in-my/) [Jhumpa Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhumpa-lahiri/) > [It did not come naturally; in fact, it would be difficult to conceive of any more dogmatic and less tolerant people than the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harris/it-did-not-come-naturally-in-fact-it-would-be-difficult-to-conceive/) [Paul Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harris/) > [I could say analogously that tolerance is the affable appreciation of qualities, views, and actions of other individuals which are foreign to one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-could-say-analogously-that-tolerance-is-the-affable-appreciation-of/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [For the most part our grassroots members are serious, nice, tolerant people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-maude/for-the-most-part-our-grassroots-members-are-serious-nice-tolerant/) [Francis Maude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-maude/) > [I remember at the time of 9/11 that there were women who went out of their way to escort Muslim women to grocery stores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-remember-at-the-time-of-9-11-that-there-were-women-who-went-out-of/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I think 'growing up' would mean that you are incredibly tolerant and easygoing, liked everything, curious about the world because you weren't so egotistically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rennison/i-think-growing-up-would-mean-that-you-are-incredibly-tolerant-and/) [Louise Rennison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rennison/) > [“So much for the tolerant acceptance of the other. We’re forging out into deep space – who knows what we’ll meet out there? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/so-much-for-the-tolerant-acceptance-of-the-other-we-re-forging-out/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [In fact, people have been very complimentary about my act and very tolerant of my singing ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-somers/in-fact-people-have-been-very-complimentary-about-my-act-and-very/) [Brett Somers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-somers/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) ## More by Claire Tomalin > [“Poor Nelly, she was not to know that fashions in sin change as much as other fashions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/poor-nelly-she-was-not-to-know-that-fashions-in-sin-change-as-much-as/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [I always feel sad when I come to the end of a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/i-always-feel-sad-when-i-come-to-the-end-of-a-book/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [I would like to have a more social life than I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/i-would-like-to-have-a-more-social-life-than-i-have/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [I continually get more information about a subject after the book has been published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/i-continually-get-more-information-about-a-subject-after-the-book-has/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [I was working at the 'Evening Standard' when I heard that there was a job going as deputy literary editor on the 'New Statesman.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/i-was-working-at-the-evening-standard-when-i-heard-that-there-was-a/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [I've behaved badly in my life. 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He was a writer who rightly saw his power as coming through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/dickens-never-joined-a-political-party-nor-put-forward-a-political/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [Throughout his life, Dickens cared passionately about orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/throughout-his-life-dickens-cared-passionately-about-orphans/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [It's a difficult thing to lose a child, a grown-up child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/it-s-a-difficult-thing-to-lose-a-child-a-grown-up-child/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [I would perhaps like to go back to writing small books about obscure people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/i-would-perhaps-like-to-go-back-to-writing-small-books-about-obscure/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) [Explore all 77 Claire Tomalin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) ## More Become quotes > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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So, I wanted to become someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-mishra/i-had-a-talent-for-copying-the-signatures-of-dignitaries-like-indira/) [Sanjay Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-mishra/) > [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [You can never tell when a commercial space venture will suddenly become viable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/you-can-never-tell-when-a-commercial-space-venture-will-suddenly/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) > [My first bill to become law repeals regulations to make everyday life easier and more affordable for Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/my-first-bill-to-become-law-repeals-regulations-to-make-everyday-life/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, 'Well, one day I'll be able to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/at-one-point-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-first-starting-out-i/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. 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