dragentolereren

Dragentolereren is a coined Dutch term used to describe the practice or philosophy of tolerating dragon beings, either within a fantasy setting or as a metaphor in real-world discourse. The word is generally understood as a portmanteau linking the Dutch word for dragon (draak) with tolereren (to tolerate), signaling a stance that accommodates coexistence with powerful, dangerous, or otherwise stigmatized entities.

In fiction, dragentolereren may refer to a policy or social norm where a community grants rights, protections, or limited autonomy to dragons, alongside risk management measures such as containment, monitoring, and negotiations. It can serve as a framework for exploring themes of power, responsibility, and interspecies diplomacy, as well as for examining the limits of tolerance when neighboring beings pose existential risks to humans or ecosystems.

In real-world discourse, dragentolereren is often used metaphorically to discuss tolerance toward groups or technologies that carry significant risk or moral ambiguity. It functions as a heuristic for weighing inclusion against potential harm, emphasizing ongoing assessment, consent, accountability, and adaptive governance. Critics argue that it can obscure asymmetries of power or downplay the severity of harms, and they call for clear safeguards, redress mechanisms, and criteria for revisiting or retracting toleration.

See also: tolerance, coexistence, speculative fiction, risk governance, ethical pluralism.