General Discussion

union_maid

(3,502 posts)

75. I think that's a great point.

Sun Oct 14, 2012, 05:10 PM

Oct 2012

One gets desensitized to it, I suppose. Since I was born in NYC and have lived a lot of my life on Long Island, a mix of incivility and civility is pretty normal to me. Political discourse, however, lost a lot of what civility it had with the advent of Karl Rove, IMHO.

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What do you think accounts for the rise in incivility? [View all] Stinky The Clown Oct 2012 OP

There hasn't been a rise Drale Oct 2012 #1

Oh, i must disagree with you. Hatchling Oct 2012 #121

Lee Atwater, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh. 'Nuff said. charlyvi Oct 2012 #2

Atwater for starters, nixon's fall madokie Oct 2012 #5

thank you. I was just thinking about watergate. niyad Oct 2012 #8

My apologies to you all but that is BS. cstanleytech Oct 2012 #24

There is a very thin line between civilization and barbarianism as a wise person RKP5637 Oct 2012 #52

Newt developed it into a science. Sekhmets Daughter Oct 2012 #27

Two countries... Bigmack Oct 2012 #3

See, now I would say the TWO COUNTRIES are the Rich and the Poor. Tigress DEM Oct 2012 #64

I wouldn't compare anti-science, anti intellectual Confusious Oct 2012 #77

Those we expect to stand for civility randr Oct 2012 #4

Do you think a lot of people mistake harsh free-for-all criticisms as "the only REAL free speech"? Tigress DEM Oct 2012 #66

Blowhard bullies only back down randr Oct 2012 #68

it has been going on for quite a while. I remember when Pat Schroeder decided to retire from niyad Oct 2012 #6

Bush, Disco, perceived anonymity, and our failure to adopt the Metric System slackmaster Oct 2012 #7

smokers of what? navarth Oct 2012 #83

Smokers of fatties slackmaster Oct 2012 #100

Nonsense. People are more 'civil' now than ever leftstreet Oct 2012 #9

Interesting post. Tigress DEM Oct 2012 #69

Reagan made stupidity respectable. GeorgeGist Oct 2012 #10

+ 1. I was discussing this very phenomenon with a friend last night. nt Zorra Oct 2012 #35

He gave people permission to be uncivil , to be not only ignorant, but to be proud of it. Egalitarian Thug Oct 2012 #93

good question, Stinky grasswire Oct 2012 #11

I love those who wax nostaligic for all white, all straight 50's TV, produced by direct Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #39

You're absolutely right. MineralMan Oct 2012 #56

Why thank you, Mineral Man. Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #59

Well, there are a lot of us in Minnesota who are working on MineralMan Oct 2012 #90

And also, no air conditioning. MAYBE in movie theaters or drug stores, which is what I remember raccoon Oct 2012 #94

I don't think AC is in the same category MineralMan Oct 2012 #97

No, it isn't. But every time someone mentions the old days,that's one of the things I think of. nt raccoon Oct 2012 #99

There were many things that weren't so good in the 50s. MineralMan Oct 2012 #107

Good post grasswire. The media certainly has followed the trend toward 'coarseness' lumpy Oct 2012 #74

We are all being assaulted with stressors. porphyrian Oct 2012 #12

People are scared to death of the future and with good reason. raouldukelives Oct 2012 #17

Not necessarily as woo woo as it sounds... porphyrian Oct 2012 #36

+1000 We're being assaulted with stressors and that's part of a plan! LongTomH Oct 2012 #25

Indeed Harry_Scrote Oct 2012 #33

I wonder LiveNudePolitics Oct 2012 #13

Jumpin' Bill Carlisle used to tell a joke about 1 out of 3 people are ugly graham4anything Oct 2012 #14

One reason is anonymity and not knowing our neighbors and fellow citizens. For raccoon Oct 2012 #15

Paradoxically, the fall of Religion. randome Oct 2012 #16

Stress, Alienation, Tribalism, Etc. earthside Oct 2012 #18

For fairness' sake, MineralMan Oct 2012 #19

Good point. nt raccoon Oct 2012 #95

What rise.... whistler162 Oct 2012 #20

I think part of it can be contributed to increased use of electronic devices for Butterbean Oct 2012 #21

are you in England or France? :) aletier_v Oct 2012 #22

From the internet. former9thward Oct 2012 #23

stress from life, from recession, from working harder and earning less JackN415 Oct 2012 #26

I was raised in the 30s depression. People were struggling in every area, yet people lumpy Oct 2012 #80

you are right, there is a cultural shift there... JackN415 Oct 2012 #86

Oh Wow...books could be written about this... Sekhmets Daughter Oct 2012 #28

Certainly could be a factor. lumpy Oct 2012 #78

I think it started with the "put down" that marked 1970s TV sitcoms KansDem Oct 2012 #29

The Beav as FAUST?! Gilbert as SATAN?! LOL! (Faust had no redemption.) Archie's racism and misogyny WinkyDink Oct 2012 #112

Of course! KansDem Oct 2012 #118

FOX "NEWS". OregonBlue Oct 2012 #30

Rancid hateful propaganda tabasco Oct 2012 #31

A Visit to Media Matters = Depression otohara Oct 2012 #62

So an addict deserves scorn? How are you different? rainanna 14 Oct 2012 #115

LOL! tabasco Oct 2012 #125

This message was self-deleted by its author moondust Oct 2012 #32

Drivers on cell phones have made it much more dangerous ...pisses me off. L0oniX Oct 2012 #34

There are likely many factors at play here. surrealAmerican Oct 2012 #37

It's the same as it ever was Generic Brad Oct 2012 #38

I don't agree with your notion that incivility is new or increasing.... Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #40

Wow. You're quite angry. And, it seems, angry with me. Stinky The Clown Oct 2012 #41

Get real, man. It was not civil when discrimination was the definition of America. Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #45

I wasn't arguing your point. I was noting your incivility. Stinky The Clown Oct 2012 #46

And I was noting yours. Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #51

So the fact that gays are tolerated now somehow disproves Stinky's point? Doctor_J Oct 2012 #43

Putting people in jail for existing is very uncivil. The US no longer allows that. Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #47

you don't know anything about Stinky's community, frankly grasswire Oct 2012 #63

This message was self-deleted by its author Puglover Oct 2012 #70

How civil of you! You don't know my life experience at all... Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #108

"Whites Only" "Colored Entrance" "No Jews" etc REP Oct 2012 #42

And there you have it. Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #48

Mostly the fact that AM radio broadcasts lies and hate 24/7 Doctor_J Oct 2012 #44

Many interesting and thoughtful ideas on here OldHippieChick Oct 2012 #49

Great post, Old Hippy. lumpy Oct 2012 #84

Joe Wilson. But that was very rude, disrespectful, and he was a real a-hole for saying it. raccoon Oct 2012 #96

Ignorance and talk radio Whovian Oct 2012 #50

The people who believe that they are right and righteous Fresh_Start Oct 2012 #53

this..... spanone Oct 2012 #54

People are less happy, for a variety of reasons. Also... sibelian Oct 2012 #55

The simple answer: the proliferation of lies, taken as facts. Waiting For Everyman Oct 2012 #57

We are not all guilty of incivility. I am very courteous to people. ywcachieve Oct 2012 #58

I think incivility has gone mainstream felix_numinous Oct 2012 #60

Great post. Thanks lumpy Oct 2012 #85

about past forms of 'entertainment'...during the time of Shakespeare the most Bluenorthwest Oct 2012 #101

Human beings felix_numinous Oct 2012 #119

We are on the verge of Civil War because one side has been cheating and oppressing the other. Tigress DEM Oct 2012 #61

There is no verge. Civil war is inevitable! Great Caesars Ghost Oct 2012 #116

War is only inevitable when folk CHOOSE to be too stupid to resolve their differences. Tigress DEM Oct 2012 #133

one can hold out for so long. Great Caesars Ghost Oct 2012 #134

The lack of H2O Man Oct 2012 #65

Nice one! randome Oct 2012 #72

Clowns. lumberjack_jeff Oct 2012 #67

I think part of it is anonymity on the internet. Kablooie Oct 2012 #71

I think that's a great point. union_maid Oct 2012 #75

Everyone considers him or herself civil woo me with science Oct 2012 #73

i find that folks are fine in the grocery store and on the roads in my little town NMDemDist2 Oct 2012 #76

Rush Limbaugh, 20+ years ago. Period. Faygo Kid Oct 2012 #79

Human nature, the desire to one-up one another. alp227 Oct 2012 #81

IMO it became acceptable with Raygun. "There you go again" said to President Carter Raine Oct 2012 #82

I'm not convinced there has been a rise in incivility fishwax Oct 2012 #87

lack of UBUNTU! NMDemDist2 Oct 2012 #88

Because, in our society, bullies are celebrated, and non-bullies are seen as weak. Dash87 Oct 2012 #89

I just posted to my fb today this very point. flyguyjake Oct 2012 #91

Two things occurring in the 1980's Sherman A1 Oct 2012 #92

I believe it also started during the eighties. lalalu Oct 2012 #105

Happy Days, Seinfeld, The Sopranos. CBGLuthier Oct 2012 #98

Lifestyles of the rich and famous, bad parenting and lack of personal responsibility. lalalu Oct 2012 #102

We're a Spartan society area51 Oct 2012 #103

WWGD? littlemissmartypants Oct 2012 #104

Reduced sense of community. Less societal control on behavior. TwilightGardener Oct 2012 #106

Don't see much of that deaniac21 Oct 2012 #109

"Election season". wtmusic Oct 2012 #110

For late 20th C. America = Right. Wing. Talk. Radio. Hours and hours of "aggrieved" rants. WinkyDink Oct 2012 #111

Let me get this straight: our country is based on ECONOMIC DARWINISM, as is the most unequal of all Romulox Oct 2012 #113

GOP losers...losers in many ways. kelliekat44 Oct 2012 #114

Among Other Reasons... WiffenPoof Oct 2012 #117

For the right-wing agenda to be successful, we must be a nation of strangers who hate each other begin_within Oct 2012 #120

The habit of instant gratification and the increased ability to compartmentalize life. haele Oct 2012 #122

I think the Internet is eroding socialization Prism Oct 2012 #123

George W. mstinamotorcity2 Oct 2012 #124

republicans. barbtries Oct 2012 #126

Incivility in blogs? lordjin Oct 2012 #127

Politically, incivility goes back at least 40 years NHDEMFORLIFE Oct 2012 #128

i'm not seeing it Enrique Oct 2012 #129

When news became entertainment. hrmjustin Oct 2012 #130

Getting old. No matter what time or place you live in, people always get ruder the older you get. Evoman Oct 2012 #131

"Think of your own driving habits. You yelling at other drivers. Other drivers flipping you off." undeterred Oct 2012 #132