Is incivility on the rise?
Viral videos show Americans behaving badly on planes, in restaurants, and in school board meetings - screaming, ranting, even punching. Are we becoming more uncivil?
Listen 49:00Scenes of Americans screaming at school officials, threatening election workers, arguing with restaurant workers and attacking flight attendants are all over social media. But are these viral videos of people acting badly on planes, in restaurants and at school board meetings evidence that our society is getting ruder, meaner and angrier? And if so, what’s behind all the boorish, uncivilized behavior? Can we chalk it all up to the pandemic? Today, we talk with New York Times ethicists KWAME ANTHONY APPIAH, professor of philosophy and law at NYU and RYAN MARTIN, a professor of psychology at University of Wisconsin – Green Bay about incivility in America and ways to diffuse the anger.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.