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Civility in America
Pam Jenkins
Two out of three Americans consider a general lack of civility to be a major problem for the nation and 72 percent think poor behavior has increasingly worsened in recent years, according to a survey Powell Tate conducted in partnership with KRC Research.
There is good cause to wonder what happened to our collective manners. According to most Americans, civility has declined in government and politics, on the roadways and in the media. The nation appears to be tired of mean spirited bloggers, professional athletes who act like children, politicians who viciously attack and businesses that behave badly.
As if to punctuate the point, General McChrystal’s disparaging remarks about his commander in chief in Rolling Stone magazine brought the issue of civility into the spotlight last week. His comments — and his firing — serve as a reminder that there are still lines that can’t be crossed, as fuzzy as they might be.
Below is a little analysis of our survey by yours truly. Enjoy — and don’t forget to use your manners at dinner tonight.
