Extinction Of Civility Research Paper

I believe that civility isn’t only threatened but I also think that we as humans have pushed polite behavior to extinction. Extinction may be an extreme term but in my personal opinion, people are polite anymore. The age of men throwing their coats over rain puddles for women, or people even saying hello when they pass each other is over. When was the last time someone opened a door for you, without even knowing who you are? The extinction of civility is happening, and it’s’ cause is that the modern day people lack empathy.

Now the initial reason for our lack of empathy towards others could be how we don’t communicate with others. Communication shouldn’t be over Skype, Facebook or on Twitter. I don’t mean that texting or calling someone

either. I mean face to face eye contact smiling and trying to hold conversation. In this digital age which people are glued to screens, they can’t express their feeling unless it’s behind a keyboard. So when there is an interaction like holding a door open for someone, saying hi to an old acquaintance, thanking the waiter, thanking the waitress, even something as small as acknowledging someone can become a problem. Without being able to communicate with people, it would be easier to shrug off others. Social media the form of communication that is used in droves, now can display some of the most insensitive things imaginable. There are twitter accounts to express jokes about 9/11 and Facebook accounts dedicated to cyberbullying kids. Communication through these avenues doesn’t just make us less empathic, it makes it easier to not feel empathy by making everything a joke or just being insensitive.

Not only can communication cause us to lack empathy but also our media can cause a lack of empathy. For example one of the most popular, well known, and successful television shows also happens to be the most vulgar, and unapologetic. This show of course is Family Guy, a story of a man named Peter Griffin an alcoholic father, who walks all over his family, verbally abuses his daughter, disrespects just about everyone he meets, and has no consequences for any of the action he performs. Their brand of comedy in the show makes fun of any and every one they can. They’ll make fun of celebrity’s addictions, people’s race, mental and physical handicaps, yet they’ve been nominated for 16 Emmys. The show has been on top for the last decade and is showing no signs of declining. Where’s the empathy for the Christian who has to watch an episode about atheism, or the Homosexual who has stereotypes portrayed on the show. How can something that is blatantly disrespectful be so popular, is it because we as a culture are disrespectful?

Civility means having manners, morals, seeing right and wrong without preforming the latter. But with the way the trend is going there isn’t any way that civility will last. Unless we can figure out a way to get others to be more empathic, the principle of civility could easily be extinct. Maybe we should be individuals and do something about it. Hold the door open when someone is behind you. Smile and make eye contact with a cashier.