--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...what a surprise (we all know how…" description: "\"...what a surprise (we all know how tolerant the tolerant are)-...\" — Junot Diaz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/junot-diaz-531_surprise_what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant_1268953.jpg" --- # ...what a surprise (we all know how tolerant the tolerant… ![“...what a surprise (we all know how tolerant the tolerant are)-...” quote by Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/junot-diaz-531_surprise_what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant_1268953.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/junot-diaz-531_surprise_what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant_1268953.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/junot-diaz-531_surprise_what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant_1268953.jpg) > “...what a surprise (we all know how tolerant the tolerant are)-...” [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The line satirically points out that those who claim tolerance often become intolerant themselves, highlighting hypocrisy in social attitudes. **In simple terms:** Tolerance can become hypocritical. Key Takeaway Watch for hypocrisy in claims of openness. Themes hypocrisy social critique identity Mood irful critical Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - political debates - community discussions - personal reflection - social media commentary - activism Key Concepts Tolerance paradox social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When does tolerance become intolerance? - How can genuine openness be practiced? A Different Perspective It may not capture all nuances of tolerance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Know Tolerant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-tolerant-4060154/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Surprise Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise-know-1981552/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) [Tolerant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerant/) [Tolerant Tolerant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerant-tolerant-952706/) ## Related quotes > [Anyone can be tolerant of those who are tolerant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/anyone-can-be-tolerant-of-those-who-are-tolerant/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [Only way to eliminate the element of surprise is to know yourself and now your adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/only-way-to-eliminate-the-element-of-surprise-is-to-know-yourself-and/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [“If you are open to change and welcome surprise, you know the secret of creativity and the secret of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-thurlow/if-you-are-open-to-change-and-welcome-surprise-you-know-the-secret-of/) [Chloe Thurlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-thurlow/) > [I'll tell you what I love about directing: the surprise. You never know what's going to happen with your piece until an audience weighs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-burrows/i-ll-tell-you-what-i-love-about-directing-the-surprise-you-never-know/) [James Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-burrows/) > [That always catches you by surprise, you know, the amount of inspiration, should you choose to, that you can give to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-page/that-always-catches-you-by-surprise-you-know-the-amount-of/) [Adam Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-page/) > [“Well, this is basically the end, so the answers should be in these next few pages. I doubt they will surprise you, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/well-this-is-basically-the-end-so-the-answers-should-be-in-these-next/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Sometimes people disappoint you, sometimes people surprise, but you will never get to know them unless you listen for whats in their heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-people-disappoint-you-sometimes-people-surprise-but-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being tolerant does not mean acquiescing to the intolerable; it does not mean covering up disrespect; it does not mean coddling the aggressor or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-acquiescing-to-the-intolerable-it-does/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [Sometimes too much tolerance can kill you. If you are tolerant of people poisoning themselves to death they will drag you down. They will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/sometimes-too-much-tolerance-can-kill-you-if-you-are-tolerant-of/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [We've become more tolerant because we're tired of the debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-fields/we-ve-become-more-tolerant-because-we-re-tired-of-the-debate/) [Suzanne Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-fields/) > [I hear the word 'tolerance'-tha t some people are trying to teach people to be tolerant of gays. I'm not satisfied with that word.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chely-wright/i-hear-the-word-tolerance-tha-t-some-people-are-trying-to-teach/) [Chely Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chely-wright/) > [Be more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, always offering respect onto others and never expecting any in return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaitanya-mahaprabhu/be-more-humble-than-a-blade-of-grass-more-tolerant-than-a-tree-always/) [Chaitanya Mahaprabhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaitanya-mahaprabhu/) > [If tolerance is the best we can do in this moment, then by all means let's be tolerant. But by stopping there, by merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley-shipp/if-tolerance-is-the-best-we-can-do-in-this-moment-then-by-all-means/) [John Wesley Shipp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley-shipp/) > [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/) > [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 Junot Diaz > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Tell her that you love her hair, that you love her skin, her lips, because, in truth, you love them more than you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/tell-her-that-you-love-her-hair-that-you-love-her-skin-her-lips/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [It took me sixteen years to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You ask everybody you know: How long does it usually take to get over it? There are many formulas. One year for every year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-get-over/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The one thing about being a dude and writing from a female perspective is that the baseline is, you suck. The baseline is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-one-thing-about-being-a-dude-and-writing-from-a-female/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I used to think those were the barrio rules, Latinos and blacks in, whites out —a place we down cats weren’t supposed to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-used-to-think-those-were-the-barrio-rules-latinos-and-blacks-in/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I put my hand on her knee. I just wish you'd say you love me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-put-my-hand-on-her-knee-i-just-wish-you-d-say-you-love-me/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I've always thought that you don't love a country by turning a blind eye to its crimes and to a problem. The way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-ve-always-thought-that-you-don-t-love-a-country-by-turning-a-blind/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Called her a whore and attacked her walls, tearing down her posters and throwing her books everywhere. I found out because some whitegirl ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/called-her-a-whore-and-attacked-her-walls-tearing-down-her-posters/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You're Dominican only if you do this, this, and that. And if you do this and that, you'll be accepted to a certain degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-re-dominican-only-if-you-do-this-this-and-that-and-if-you-do-this/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Ramfis fled the country after Trujillo's death, lived dissolutely off his father's swag, and ended up dying in a car crash of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/ramfis-fled-the-country-after-trujillo-s-death-lived-dissolutely-off/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [If you didn't grow up like I did then you don't know, and if you don't know it's probably better you don't judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-didn-t-grow-up-like-i-did-then-you-don-t-know-and-if-you-don-t/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“If you ask me I don't think there are any such things as curses. I think there is only life. That's enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-ask-me-i-don-t-think-there-are-any-such-things-as-curses-i/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The only difference between a published and unpublished writer is a tolerance for imperfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-only-difference-between-a-published-and-unpublished-writer-is-a/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Explore all 486 Junot Diaz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## More Surprise quotes > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Every coach in the league does an unbelievable job, and they're prepared and think you're going to outcoach people, or you think that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/every-coach-in-the-league-does-an-unbelievable-job-and-they-re/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [No Time For Goodbye is a deliciously smart thriller, full of surprises and perfect pacing. I'm jealous I didn't write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alafair-burke/no-time-for-goodbye-is-a-deliciously-smart-thriller-full-of-surprises/) [Alafair Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alafair-burke/) > [I love Derrick Brown for the surprise of one word waking up next to another. One moment tender, funny or romantic, the next, visceral,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/i-love-derrick-brown-for-the-surprise-of-one-word-waking-up-next-to/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I always want to surprise audiences and tell stories that are entertaining and challenging at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/i-always-want-to-surprise-audiences-and-tell-stories-that-are/) [Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/) > [Don't let your imagination take you by surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/don-t-let-your-imagination-take-you-by-surprise/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [History is full of surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/history-is-full-of-surprises/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [I can't imagine, I can't get in the mind of a wrestling fan who wants to break news that spoils a surprise for somebody.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ambrose/i-can-t-imagine-i-can-t-get-in-the-mind-of-a-wrestling-fan-who-wants/) [Dean Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ambrose/) > [It doesn't matter to me if it has a surprise ending or not. I usually go for the material or the project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-wahlberg/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-if-it-has-a-surprise-ending-or-not-i-usually/) [Donnie Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-wahlberg/) > [I think there's something funny about people who laugh in the face of convention or surprise us morally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-waller-bridge/i-think-there-s-something-funny-about-people-who-laugh-in-the-face-of/) [Phoebe Waller-Bridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-waller-bridge/) > [The thing that I like about magazines, paper magazines, and papers in any kind of tangible format is the surprise factor of turning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-millman/the-thing-that-i-like-about-magazines-paper-magazines-and-papers-in/) [Debbie Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-millman/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [What a wonderfully exciting cough,' said the little man, quite startled by it, 'do you mind if I join you?' And with that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/what-a-wonderfully-exciting-cough-said-the-little-man-quite-startled/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) [Browse all 3,219 Surprise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...what a surprise (we all know how tolerant the tolerant are)-...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Junot Diaz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant-the-tolerant-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Surprise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant-the-tolerant-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/junot-diaz-531_surprise_what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant_1268953.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/junot-diaz-531_surprise_what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant_1268953.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91f/junot-diaz-531_surprise_what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant_1268953.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...what a surprise (we all know how tolerant the tolerant are)-...” — Junot Diaz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Junot Diaz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "...what a surprise (we all know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant-the-tolerant-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/what-a-surprise-we-all-know-how-tolerant-the-tolerant-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```