Where Has Civility Gone?

Behaving properly in public means having respect for yourself and others. It’s not a stretch and we should expect manners from others:

What are the Uncivil doing?

This behavior is not acceptable in civilized society. In the Land of the Free the Uncivil do not have the right to disrupt others’ right to assemble.

To engage in productive discourse, the Uncivil can:

No one deserves to be randomly unloaded on. We don’t have to tolerate that and we can’t depend on security guards or restaurant management to maintain the sanctity of the space.

If I do not feel safe saying anything to the disruptors, I could call the police or campus security if they are not already there. I might ask the restaurant manager or venue host to remove them. If she did nothing, I would make sure to put my displeasure and disappointment in writing and mail it to the store owner or department head. I would thank them for their hospitality and services, but if they could not prioritize their customers’ and audience’s needs, then I would be unlikely to return/donate/positively comment about my experience.

Why write a letter? Because complaining to friends or on Twitter does little to change behaviors. Communicating in a clear, persuasive manner to the appropriate individual will convey my convictions and expectations to authority figures who can and should handle the situation.

Maybe Interruptors don’t know any better, but inappropriate behavior must not be tolerated. The uncouth 10% of the population cannot be allowed to redefine acceptable behavior.

More worrisome is the increasing incidences of public, powerful figures encouraging and emulating mob mentality. The rest of us have to stop muffling our inner voice that calls out, “That is not right!” As the misbehavior continues, bystanders are more likely to shrug, with a “Well, what did you expect?” or “Well, what can you do?” attitude, relieved they are not the targets of unreasonable vitriol. This very development in social attitudes led to the circumstances that created Nazi Germany, Red China, and Stalin’s Russia.

We cannot expect to keep a free country we refuse to fight for, nor do we deserve to.

Related posts:

By using cash back offers, discount deals, and looking for various options for a single product, you can shop smartly for Christmas and save a lot of money.

How many times have you thought of giving up after a significant setback? If you are like most entrepreneurs you’ve had your share of setbacks and sometimes you probably feel like quitting. I’m not…

Individuals in the Business Analyst role collect, analyze, develop, document, communicate business requirements, and support user testing to achieve business goals. A business analyst collecting all…