Incivility in the Library

Everyone knows that the library is a place of quiet study. Students and teachers alike can retreat to the library to research, study, and perhaps find a quiet table to catch a quick nap. In mid-March, however, two incidents burst into national headlines regarding student incivility in libraries. Yes libraries!

The first involved a dispute over a library study room at George Mason University.  According to the Washington Post, the study room was first occupied by Abdirashid Dahir, a Muslim student from Somalia. Dahir had left the room momentarily to get his laptop charger. When he returned, he found all of his belongings placed in the hallway and a female student occupying the room.  Both students claimed dibs on the room and during a heated exchange of words, the female student allegedly warned Dahir that if he did not leave she would get him in a lot of trouble. The female student made good on her promise, because within hours Dahir was arrested for felony abduction.

The second library incident occurred when Alexandra Wallace, a student at UCLA, posted a three-minute video on YouTube ranting on how Asian students were constantly disrupting others in the library by engaging in loud cell phone conversations. The video went on to make other disparaging and offensive comments about Asians. According to Wallace, the “hordes of Asian people that UCLA accepts” should use “American manners.”

Both of these incidents drew national attention and demonstrated how incivility can get out of control. The common thread of racial tension underscores the challenges students often encounter when living, learning, and working in a diverse global community.

So what eventually happened to Dahir and Wallace? The felony abduction charges were dropped against Dahir and the abduction allegations are currently being reviewed through an internal university process.  As for Wallace, she removed her video and issued a public apology in the UCLA student newspaper.  

Incivility, or the lack of regard for others in the community, can escalate into offenses that can be far reaching. While we may rightfully disagree with another’s conduct, uncivil responses rarely lead to productive outcomes.

Kent M. Weeks

Does Civility Matter?

Common civility is becoming a lost art. In our busy and complex lives, simple gestures of politeness, such as smiling or saying “thank you” have become uncommon. We have come to expect some level of disrespect in just about every facet of our lives. People drive recklessly and without regard to others. Many engage in loud and obnoxious cell phones conversations in restaurants, buses, and movie theaters. Others deliberately litter. 

Chances are that there will always be rude, disrespectful people. So why should we be concerned about increased incivility?  Isn’t incivility an inherent byproduct of a democratic society? After all, there is this thing called the First Amendment. Why does civility matter?

A clue to these questions can be found by probing deeper into the definition of civility. While civility is technically defined as politeness and associated with good manners, the etymology of the word hints at a more expansive meaning.

The modern English word “civility” comes from the Latin word “civitas”, referring to the city or civic community. In this context, civility refers to civilized conduct of citizens. More than just politeness, the civitas element of civility calls for an individual commitment to strengthening the community, as opposed to focusing exclusively on one’s own wishes and desires.  Translated to a modern context, civitas includes acts of community service, such as helping a sick neighbor or serving with a volunteer organization aiding others in the community. 

Whether the community is a neighborhood, college campus, state, or country, civitas requires people to behave in a way that recognizes and respects the needs of others in the community. This more expansive application of civility is reminiscent of the Golden Rule, which encourages people to treat others in the same manner as they would want to be treated. 

As civil people, our conduct toward others should be guided by mutual respect. Conduct such as driving while intoxicated, plagiarism, and bullying would all be examples of uncivil behavior. Such conduct does not take into consideration the needs of others, and may be harmful to the community.

The growing culture of incivility is critically important because it represents more than just poor manners, but rather a lack of consideration for others. This lack of respect, left unchecked, can perpetuate incivility and can lead to even more dangerous uncivil conduct. Consider the string of Columbine-style shootings that have occurred in the high schools, colleges, and shopping malls over the last decade, including the latest in Tucson, Arizona, where a U.S. Representative was critically injured and six victims died.

Civility has once again become part of the national conversation.  Citizens, politicians, college students and scholars are opening a new dialogue, saying civility does matter.  The many voices don’t agree on all the details of civil conduct, but the fact that they’re having the conversation in the first place is a start. 

Kent M. Weeks