Unless you pay attention, you miss how often Americans say “Thank you,” “Have a nice day,” “I’m sorry,” and the like. These are the sounds of civility. Even the tiresome “Did you find what you were looking for?” You hear people bemoan the lack of civility in America, but it’s far from gone.
We all have our anecdotes of rudeness (which I’m not interested in hearing), and the internet is pretty much devoid of civility. Yet, civility abounds in everyday life. Retail and fast food probably lead the way (not so much in other countries). Call it fakish, not genuine–a mere commercial persona. Nevertheless, I always appreciate hearing the sounds of civility.
So pay attention. Notice how often you hear, and hopefully say, words of civility.
