CityView Magazine

50 | April 2020 He contends that without civility, political change will merely end up reproducing the oppression and cruelty to which they are opposed, and all that changes are the names of the oppressed and the oppressor. Civility or antiviolence can create a space where the politics of change is possible. "Civility: Manners, Morals, and the Etiquette of Democracy," by Stephen L. Carter Carter, a Yale law professor, argues that civility is a casualty of our postmodern society because, habituated to overwhelming self-indulgence, we have forgotten the obligations we owe each other. He contends that neither liberals nor conservatives can solve this problem alone. Taking inspiration from the Abolitionist sermons of the 19th century, Carter proposes to rebuild our public and private lives by remembering the basic tenant of all major world religions – to love one another. He studies the fundamental institutions in our society – including family, churches, and schools – to illustrate how each one can do more to promote the virtue of civility. "Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace," by Christine Porath Incivility in the workplace is not just unpleasant, it is also counterproductive. Porath examines the damaging effects on leaders and organizations and offers suggestions on what to do about it. Using scientific research, Porath combines evidence from popular culture and the fields of neuroscience, medicine and psychology to remind us of what we can do to improve the quality of our workplaces. Compelling stories are offered to show how even the smallest changes in behavior can have the greatest effects on relationships, teams, and entire companies. P erhaps these books seem like too much to start with on this topic. To start in a lighter manner, how about a book about Mister Rogers? Many of you probably have already seen "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," the Tom Hanks movie about Mister Rogers. If you haven't, go see it now and then pick one of the many books about this amazing man. Here are two: "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Neighborly Words of Wisdom from Mister Rogers," by Fred Rogers with an essay by Tom Junod Updated from its original publication as "You Are Special," this collection features the movie tie-in with a definitive portrait of this national icon. We can read Mister Roger's own words for living your best, kindest life and this book is an important treasure for all his fans. "Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood: Wonderful Wisdom from Everyone's Favorite Neighbor," by Melissa Wagner with Fred Rogers Productions and illustrations by Max Dalton Although geared toward children, this book is appropriate for all ages. I watched all of Mister Rogers' shows with my children when they were growing up, and I think I loved him as much as they did. is lovely book combines delightful illustrations with Fred Rogers' quotes that "touch on themes of kindness, empathy, self-care, respect and love." One thing that all these books have in common is the idea that kindness and love are necessary to foster civility among us. It's difficult to undo the damage done by incivility, but it will never happen if we don't try. Choose a book that might speak to you, find a quiet spot, and take a little time to remind yourself about kindness and love and get started on your journey to "a beautiful day in your neighborhood."

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