Thinking and the Lack of Civility

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." ~ Aristotle

I like this statement and believe it. Discussion and careful consideration do not equal acceptance or approval. I wish a lot of people on both sides of many issues would realize this. Understanding this might go a long way toward increasing civil discourse in this country.

"What are the marks of a sick culture?"

"...It's a bad sign when the people of a country stop identifying themselves with the country and start identifying with a group. A racial group. Or a religion. Or a language. Anything so long as it's not the whole population."

"A very bad sign. Particularism...any country can fall sick with it."

"Dominance of males over females seems to be one of the symptoms. I suppose the reverse would be true but I haven't run across it...The population must lose faith in both the police and the courts." 

"Elementary. Go on."

"...High taxation is important and so is inflation of the currency and the ratio of the productive to those on the public payroll. But that's old hat; everyone knows a country is onthe skids when it's income and outgo get out of balance and stay that way--even though there are always endless attempts by legislation...Any law on the books that cannot be enforced weakens all other laws...I want to mention the obvious symptoms: Violence. Muggings. Sniping. Arson. Bombing. Terrorism of any sort. Riots of course--but I suspect that little incidents of violence, pecking away at people day after day damage a culture more than riots that flare up and die down."

"Friday, I think you have missed the most alarming symptom of all."

"I have? Are you going to tell me?"

"Mmm. This once I shall tell you. But go back and search for it. Examine it. Sick cultures show a complex of symptoms such as you have named...but a dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot...This symptom is especially serious in that an individual displaying it never thinks of it as a sign of ill health but as proof of his/her strength."

Friday p240-242, emphasis mine

I don't know about anyone else, but to me, that last paragraph sounds like the US these days. Especially when it comes to political and religious dissent.