Word-Of-the-Week #2029: Civility
May 1, 2026 by Susan Clarke
Civility – courteous behavior; politeness.
How often do you experience politeness during the course of a day? Do you find yourself experiencing more rudeness now more than ever?
This week features longtime friend and subscriber Joe’s response to WOW #2027 on manners.
“Unfortunately, society in general is losing civility.
In many instances, youngsters are not learning their manners at home from their parents.
One of the trends that I have noticed in public, is that when someone says “thank you,” invariably the response is “no problem” instead of “you’re welcome.”
In addition to teaching our girls basic manners, we have taught them to send a handwritten thank you note when they receive gifts from others. The personalized, handwritten card seems to be lost today, replaced by a terse text or email. The telephone is not even used to convey thanks.
Speaking of telephones. My wife and I visited friends in Michigan for the Memorial Day holiday several years ago.
During our stay, the husband did not interact with us. He spent his time texting and scrolling on his phone. To say this behavior was disrespectful was an understatement. How did we live before cellphones?
More and more, I am finding that people are not sending handwritten thank you notes after I have attended a wake/funeral and/or sent a condolence card. A family friend explained to me recently that some people just don’t send thank you notes after those occasions. But that is basic protocol after such an event.
When I meet a veteran who served in one of the wars at a store or gas station, I always make a point of thanking them for their service.
During the day I even say hello to those I meet on the street. A smile and a hello go a long way and can make a person’s day.
And it’s not hard to just say “excuse me.” Or “I beg your pardon.” In traffic, as I yield the right of way or if someone does it for me, I will wave my hand and mouth the words “thank you.” It’s a small courtesy.
All of these gestures are small in nature but show a respect and a courtesy to all people, young and old.
And they’re not hard. We just need to take the time to respect others with civility in our day-to-day interactions.”
This week’s focus is on civility. When was the last time you sent or received a handwritten note? Can you leave your cell phone alone when conversing with another person? How does it feel when someone respects you?
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