Being a detractor of something or someone means that there is an opposition towards an idea or a person. In the face of ideas or people, we can basically express two positions: for or against. If we are against it, this means that we are detractors, that is, we disagree for some reason.
The idea of detractor implies a certain degree of rejection. Thus, it can be moderate, tolerant and understanding or, in its extreme version, intense, vehement and radical.
Whoever proclaims himself a detractor with respect to another person, reveals his critical attitude in some aspect of that individual (his ideas, his way of being or other circumstances). Let us think of a believing person who defends Christian values. With these personal characteristics, he will usually speak out against atheists, agnostics, and those who live outside of Christianity.
The concept of detractor usually has a mechanism in two directions, since the opposite positions are reciprocal (the communist is a detractor of the capitalist and the reverse is exactly the same). Sometimes, behind an apparent opposition of ideas or criticism, there are personal feelings (for example, envy or jealousy). These feelings remain hidden, since it is not usual for them to be recognized (it is not common to hear someone say that they are a detractor of a public figure and at the same time admit their envy towards him).
The detractor and tolerance
When we think of ideas as opposition or criticism, it is possible to associate them with confrontation and dispute. However, that there is rivalry between ideas or people does not mean that it is incompatible with respect and tolerance for the opponent. Thus, some defend a conciliatory position between criticism and understanding.
The conciliation between both valuations is the principle of democracy, that is, there are political groups that oppose each other and are detractors of each other and, at the same time, are obliged to respect the opponent. In this sense, it is about understanding the other as a rival and not as an enemy.
Being a firm detractor of some ideas is associated with radical positions (dogmatism or fanaticism). This type of position has a drawback: it generates a confrontational dynamic. If radicalism is replaced by tolerant criteria and attitudes, the confrontation softens and the disputes lose aggressiveness. In Spanish there is a saying that expresses this idea: the courteous does not take away the brave. In other words, it is possible to say no outright and courageously while remaining friendly and cordial.
