Is Civility Always Good?

Hugh Taft-Morales

Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society

In today’s tempestuous times, commentators bemoan the apparent loss of civility in social discourse. On TV, radio, and on-line, sometimes it seems that people are competing to be rude. Discussion of “hot button issues,” like politics, religion, and the #MeToo movement, often provoke mean-spirited shouting matches. Can we revive our respect for basic civility, both in the media and in our everyday interactions? Hugh Taft-Morales explores “civility” and the ways Ethical Humanists can best embrace it as a virtue.