The Soul of Civility
Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Alexandra Hudson, daughter of the "Manners Lady," was raised to respect others. But as she grew up, Hudson discovered a difference between politeness—a superficial appearance of good manners—and true civility. In this timely book, Hudson sheds light on how civility can help bridge our political divide.
From classical philosophers like Epictetus, to great twentieth-century thinkers like Martin Luther King Jr., to her own experience working in the federal government during one of the most politically fraught eras in our nation's history, Hudson examines how civility—a respect for the personhood and dignity of others—transcends political disagreements. Respecting someone means valuing them enough to tell them when you think they are wrong.
It’s easy to look at the divided state of the world and blame our leaders, the media, or our education system. Instead, we should focus on what we can control: ourselves. The Soul of Civility empowers readers to live tolerantly with others despite deep differences, and to rigorously protest wrongs and debate issues rather than silencing disagreements. A robust public discourse is essential to a truly civil society, and respecting others means telling hard truths. If enough of us decide to change ourselves, we might be able to change the world we live in, too.
Provocative, personal, and acutely relevant, The Soul of Civility is an essential book for our era.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Journalist Hudson debuts with an illuminating ode to civility as a "way of being that allows us to navigate life together amid differences." According to the author, the human condition intertwines "two competing forces: our love of others, and our love of self," and while selfishness threatens community, valuing others makes a civilization truly civilized. Moreover, "when too many of us fail to exercise civility, people will begin calling for the government to restrain us through laws and regulations." Therefore, Hudson explains, "our freedom and flourishing" are reliant on "routine... decisions we make every day to respect our fellow humans," be it as small as opening the door for someone holding a cup of coffee. Hudson mines a wide range of sources, from Socrates to the epic of Gilgamesh to explore civility's nuances and then calls for its revival in modern society, including by "re-personaliz our digital interactions." Delineating the vital distinction between politeness and civility (the latter is "the motivation behind our conduct that sees other persons as our moral equals" and "is much deeper, richer, and of greater import than... external compliance with rules of etiquette"), Hudson constructs a carefully considered case for the human obligation to "treat the ‘other' with a similar decency we afford to those closest to us." It's an enlightening reexamination of an often-overlooked virtue.
