Etiquette expert Karen Mallett says she believes our society is in the throes of a "crisis of civility," a climate in which everyone seems to believe they must speak their minds.
鈥淚nstead of being taught to be nice to people, to be kind and considerate, we鈥檝e taught our kids to stick up for themselves, not to let anyone walk all over them,鈥� said Ms. Mallett in an interview. (SEE DAL NEWS STORY: A crisis in civility).
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not necessarily a bad thing, but it leads to people telling people off, honking horns and butting in.鈥�
In the United States, the issue has come into sharp focus with the mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona that left six people dead and 14 wounded, including U.S. congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Some聽point to聽the聽vindictive聽tone of debate in the U.S. for contributing to the shootings.
So, let's discuss. Do you feel Canada is experiencing a "crisis of civility"? How can we improve civility in the classroom, on campus聽and in our daily interactions?