Civility
I am worried with the lack of civility that seems to be gaining momentum in so many facets of life. We have people making racist comments about the president who are celebrated because they won't apologize. We have 24 hour news channels that focus less and less on news and more and more on particular partisan comments that border on incendiary so as to gain or retain favor with their particular political patrons. We have churches who, in the name of Jesus, will talk about who God hates and thank that same God for dead soldiers.
There are plenty of other examples, and I am not here to write about the examples so much as I wish to offer a word of concern. The lack of civility leads to a loss of middle ground conversations. The lack of civility draws lines in the sand rather than working to erase them. It also enhances the view of the "enemy" or the "villain." Like the popular zombies of today's fiction, once they are de-humanized, then you don't have to worry about how you treat them. You just get rid of them.
It points to a dangerous return to tribalism. We gather around particular ideologies and have no contact with those who live outside our circles. And when a country falls back into tribalism, it is no longer a nation, but something more akin to fiefdoms contained on a particular continent. It points also to a system that rewards only like minded for being like minded. Outside the loop? Too bad. Don't have the contacts? Too bad. A lack of civility could very well lead to a lack of responsibility. We fail to be better citizens because we see example after example of people not doing that and being rewarded.
Civility and tolerance aren't blatant acceptance of particular behaviors, but they are the means to discourse and education. Civility is also a means to prevention. When we understand the premise of the "do unto others" we learn that civility is the means to communicate a higher standard of acceptable behavior. When it appears that it doesn't matter how we act towards, speak about, or treat one another, then we humans seem to quickly revert to the ideas that might makes right; that the audacity to insult is seen as a badge of courage; and that people we don't like don't matter.
Perhaps civility isn't the answer to all the questions, but a determined desire for civility could certainly change the attitude and discourse our country.
There are plenty of other examples, and I am not here to write about the examples so much as I wish to offer a word of concern. The lack of civility leads to a loss of middle ground conversations. The lack of civility draws lines in the sand rather than working to erase them. It also enhances the view of the "enemy" or the "villain." Like the popular zombies of today's fiction, once they are de-humanized, then you don't have to worry about how you treat them. You just get rid of them.
It points to a dangerous return to tribalism. We gather around particular ideologies and have no contact with those who live outside our circles. And when a country falls back into tribalism, it is no longer a nation, but something more akin to fiefdoms contained on a particular continent. It points also to a system that rewards only like minded for being like minded. Outside the loop? Too bad. Don't have the contacts? Too bad. A lack of civility could very well lead to a lack of responsibility. We fail to be better citizens because we see example after example of people not doing that and being rewarded.
Civility and tolerance aren't blatant acceptance of particular behaviors, but they are the means to discourse and education. Civility is also a means to prevention. When we understand the premise of the "do unto others" we learn that civility is the means to communicate a higher standard of acceptable behavior. When it appears that it doesn't matter how we act towards, speak about, or treat one another, then we humans seem to quickly revert to the ideas that might makes right; that the audacity to insult is seen as a badge of courage; and that people we don't like don't matter.
Perhaps civility isn't the answer to all the questions, but a determined desire for civility could certainly change the attitude and discourse our country.
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