Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.
If you really hate someone, being decent is a form of lying.
Honesty is always better, even if it’s mean honesty.
You should be able to express yourself any way you want to. That’s what people have fought and died to protect in this country.
It’s less effective than being rude.
Humor and negative emotion are extremely powerful persuasive tools.
Negative ads get run in campaigns for a reason. Because negative emotion works.
Some people don’t deserve respect. To offer it to them is to legitimize them.
Some ideas don’t’ deserve respect. To treat them with it is to legitimize them.
Incivility at root is an attempt to make our opponents look bad, when they really are bad.
Democracy presumes the ability and willingness to hear everyone’s point of view.
Free speech presumes that anyone can communicate any idea in any way he is able. If he stutters, we should still listen. If he swears, well, some people swear a lot.
All this talk about being nice to one another is a distraction from the real issues which are what inspired all the rude talk in the first place.
Sometimes it takes rudeness to penetrate a closed mind. “Gosh why does everyone hate me and treat me so badly?”
“Be more civil” is what the Baptist leadership told MLK jr.
Civiltarians are more interested in losing well than winning badly.
Rudeness is a form of power, and we should use power for good purposes.
Polite protestors don’t get air time and genial guests don’t get invited on talk shows.
Civility is just another way of marginalizing those who aren’t skilled at the rules of etiquette.
Elijah was not particularly polite to the prophets of Baal, nor Jesus to the moneychangers or the Pharisees.
If you really hate someone, being decent is a form of lying.
Honesty is always better, even if it’s mean honesty.
You should be able to express yourself any way you want to. That’s what people have fought and died to protect in this country.
It’s less effective than being rude.
Humor and negative emotion are extremely powerful persuasive tools.
Negative ads get run in campaigns for a reason. Because negative emotion works.
Some people don’t deserve respect. To offer it to them is to legitimize them.
Some ideas don’t’ deserve respect. To treat them with it is to legitimize them.
Incivility at root is an attempt to make our opponents look bad, when they really are bad.
Democracy presumes the ability and willingness to hear everyone’s point of view.
Free speech presumes that anyone can communicate any idea in any way he is able. If he stutters, we should still listen. If he swears, well, some people swear a lot.
All this talk about being nice to one another is a distraction from the real issues which are what inspired all the rude talk in the first place.
Sometimes it takes rudeness to penetrate a closed mind. “Gosh why does everyone hate me and treat me so badly?”
“Be more civil” is what the Baptist leadership told MLK jr.
Civiltarians are more interested in losing well than winning badly.
Rudeness is a form of power, and we should use power for good purposes.
Polite protestors don’t get air time and genial guests don’t get invited on talk shows.
Civility is just another way of marginalizing those who aren’t skilled at the rules of etiquette.
Elijah was not particularly polite to the prophets of Baal, nor Jesus to the moneychangers or the Pharisees.
Links
Bible References: Gen 18:1-5, Gen 19:1-3, Gen 43:25-29, Gen 47:1-11, Lev 19:32, Ruth 2:4, Prov 15:1-2, Prov 16:24, Prov 29:5, Matt 9:20-22, Mark 9:35, Mark 10:43-45, Luke 11:1-13, Luke 14:8-11, Luke 18:1-8, Acts 27:3, Acts 28:1-2, Rom 12:9-21, 1 Cor 9:19-23, Eph 4:25-32, Phil 2:19-23, Philemon 8-21, James 1:26, James 3:1-12, 1 Peter 3:10
Polite Wikipedia
Gricean Maxim Wikipedia
Politeness Logos.uoregon.edu
A Manual of Etiquette Daisy Eyebright
36 Politeness Quotations Nonstopenglish.com
Teaching Children Politeness Ksks.essortment.com
Seduced By Civility Benjamin DeMott
The Case Against Civility Randall Kennedy
Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital Robert D. Putnam
A Reasoned And Reasonable Discourse Judith Rodin
An Urgent Task: President's Address Judith Rodin
Civility Book by Stephen L. Carter
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