One of the ongoing debates in the world right now – in online discussion, in politics and in our personal lives – is what the role of civility is and how it’s perhaps become less important than in the past.
I think one change is that people used to be civil in a reciprocal manner even when they disagreed with each other. Another difference is that today, people expect others to be civil but don’t realise (or care) when they’re being uncivil themselves.
In my experience, this is especially common in strongly held political battles where some individuals (I’d suggest generally people on the right but I may be biased as someone on the left!) take advantage of this imbalance to make rude and hostile comments without a commiserate response from the other side who might try to remain civil.
Of course, sometimes the response might blast right through any civility expectations to turn the point back on the original person. That was my thought when I read this story on Reddit where a person, fed up with their conservative uncle’s attacks, absolutely eviscerates him:
So my conservative christian uncle was ranting about something to do with climate change when i walked into the room and he ended the rant with ” all I know is it was cold last winter and the winter before so I reckon all that global warming talk is just liberal bs to try and scare us” he then looked at me knowing I was not of the same opinion and said “so what do you think mr. The worlds on fire?”
I should go ahead and mention right now that he is a lymphoma survivor.
I replied, ” no you’re right. Shit I ate today, so world hunger must not be and issue either. Hey we both slept inside last night, so homelessness must not be real, and while we are at it, I have never had cancer personally so it must be a lie you have made to scare me, right?”
He looked at me with the most empty, dead look I have ever seen. There were 4 other people in the room and they couldnt believe what I had just said to my uncle a cancer survivor.
I left went home and drank a beer. Fuck em
