Civility

Civility is the act of showing regard for others through one’s good manners and respect. Some elements of civility are regarded as universal. Others are based on the situation or companions with which an individual finds oneself—a business contact is not treated in the same way as a friend at the gym. However, at its heart, civility advocates for mutual respect.

Civility is commonly used in reference to political interactions and ideals. Statesmen throughout modern history have been reminded to be civil during debates, for example. Political observers frequently decry the lack of civility in politics, and in particular in political campaigns.

In many cases, the hallmarks of civility—the rules of society—have been handed down for centuries. Some writings about civility remain relevant in the twenty-first century, thousands of years after their origins. Individual beliefs about the course of civility—whether on the rise or decline—are often influenced by the widespread coverage and ready availability of social media reports.

Brief History

Many of the modern tenets of civility can be traced to ancient societies, including Rome and Egypt. Around 2400 BCE, Ptahhotep wrote a collection of statements that is believed to be the earliest large work of Egyptian philosophy. Ptahhotep was a vizier—the highest official at the king’s court—who requested that he be allowed to retire and wanted his son to assume his duties. The king noted that wisdom comes with age, and Ptahhotep agreed to impart the wisdom he had gained on his son and other young men of the ruling families. He then began writing what became a manual of civility. Among his advice, Ptahhotep praises those who are devoted to their duty, know when to stay silent, ignore gossip, and remain humble. He also advises young men to obey their fathers and superiors. Ptahhotep’s proverbs instruct others to show kindness to the poor and offer advice on raising good sons.

Ptahhotep’s grandson collected his grandfather’s words of wisdom. He compiled them on papyri to make a book, which was copied multiple times and shared. One copy was found in Thebes in 1856.

Thousands of years later, several books of wisdom emerged. During the third century CE, Distichs of Cato, a book of morality written in Latin by an unknown author probably in the Roman Empire, circulated among scholars. Later Daniel of Beccles wrote Liber Urbani, a book of everyday manners that became popular during the twelfth century, when European society became focused on appropriate behavior.

During the eighteenth century, notions of civility were important to many of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Philadelphia printer and diplomat Benjamin Franklin published an edition of the Distichs of Cato in 1735. Thomas Jefferson wrote a Manual of Parliamentary Practice in 1801, noting the rules of order and civility.

Long before he became a general or president of the United States, a teenage George Washington copied “Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation” as a writing exercise in his school book. These rules originated in a 1595 French manuscript that was translated from Latin at the French Jesuit College of La Fleche. The Latin form may have been compiled by the Jesuits or written by an individual. An English translation of the French translation was first published in London around 1640. The rules became inextricably linked to the founder and his legacy. The president’s celebrated decorum inspired many people to want to read the rules and to emulate Washington. The manuscript was published in various forms after Washington’s death.

Overview

Studies have found that incivility heightens emotions and provokes outrage. This is especially true of the object of rude remarks. For this reason, incivility is often a tool used to promote social or political upheaval, whereas civility is a tool of teamwork and peacemaking.

Civility draws in the powerful and powerless alike and often leads to productivity in politics and debate. This need for polite discourse is among the reasons Jefferson, who as vice president was the Senate’s presiding officer, wrote a moral code for debate in the US government. Among his rules, Jefferson stated that members could not attack the motives of one another during debate. This reinforces the idea that civility hinges on mutual respect. Without it, individuals in opposition cannot understand one another, find common ground, and move forward.

Calls for civility often arise during political campaigns. Many observers bemoan candidates’ attacks on one another. Incivility may include direct insults as well as simple indications that one’s ideas are without value—rolling of one’s eyes, shaking of the head, etc. Examples include insulting political cartoons, smear campaigns, and debates in which candidates attack one another rather than debate issues or ideas. Discrediting the messenger discredits the message as well, so such tactics are common.

The demand for civility itself can be used to silence or harass others. Philosophers such as John Stuart Mill, for example, have noted that calls for civil discourse are often one sided. Those who demand civility from others usually support the popular idea, and do not demand such courtesy be shown to those who espouse the contrary position. The less popular idea is often supported by a subordinated group. In this way, a majority that feels threatened may use calls for civility to silence a feared minority.

Many twenty-first-century commentators have remarked on the lack of civility in US government. In 2009, for example, Representative Joe Wilson from South Carolina shouted at President Barack Obama during an address to Congress. An elected member of Congress interrupting the president’s speech to accuse him of lying had been unheard of before that event, and Wilson was rebuked by Congress.

The Pew Research Center found that incivility on both sides of the aisle is responsible for undermining trust in the government. Only 22 percent of Americans said they had faith in the government in 2024. During and after the 2016 presidential election, a number of commentators and academics said that blatant attacks on other candidates were essentially numbing the public to incivility. In particular, they noted the way candidate Donald Trump used Twitter to attack his opponents. Also during that campaign, according to US intelligence agency reports, foreign operatives attempted to influence the presidential election by using inflammatory memes and false news stories. The widespread distribution of these messages was credited with normalizing the use of derogatory messages in politics. During the 2024 election, as political incivility took center stage, workplaces reported new highs in incivility among colleagues and tied this to the elections. A study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management found that "incivility" cost employers $2 billion a day in lost productivity. Some voters expressed frustration about the incivility found in politics, however the same poll that showed voters frustrated also showed concluded that those polled were tired of leaders compromising their values and wanted them to stand up to the other side. Such conflicting views send mixed messages on how much incivility the American people are willing to tolerate in political discourse.

Bibliography

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Helsel, Phil. “Rep. Joe Wilson’s ‘You Lie’ Line Used against Him at Contentious Town Hall.” NBC News, 11 Apr. 2017, nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/rep-joe-wilson-s-you-lie-line-used-against-him-n745426. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.

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Kukowski, Kristen. “Overwhelming Number of Americans Frustrated by Incivility in Politics, But Conflicted on Desire for “Compromise and Common Ground.” Institute of Politics and Public Service, 24 Apr. 2019, politics.georgetown.edu/2019/04/24/new-survey-overwhelming-number-of-americans-frustrated-by-incivility-in-politics-but-conflicted-on-desire-for-compromise-and-common-ground/. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.

Martinez, Mary-Faith. “Study Finds Election-Related Stress and ‘Incivility’ Has Cost Employers $2Billion A Day in Lost Productivity.” UC Merced, 6 Nov. 2024, polisci.ucmerced.edu/news/2024/study-finds-election-related-stress-incivility-has-cost-employers-2-billion-day-lost. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.

“Public Trust in Government: 1958-2024.” Pew Research Center, 24 June 2024, www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/06/24/public-trust-in-government-1958-2024/. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.

Schoorl, Katrina. “The Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour.” George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 2019, www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/the-rules-of-civility-and-decent-behaviour/. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.

“Teaching of Ptahhotep.” University College London, 2003, www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/digitalegypt/literature/ptahhotep.html. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.