What “Civilization” Means

Check out this quick but deeply moving story about Margaret Mead whose message is To be civilized is to help other people.

People a couple of generations ago would have shrugged this off.  “Obviously,” they would have said.

Now, the concept of helping others in need is a matter of heated debate in American society.  Do we need to be kind to people desperately fleeing danger?  Should we feed hungry children? Isn’t it unacceptable that we have American veterans (or anyone) dying of treatable diseases? Don’t we have some sort of moral imperative not to destroy the environment in which future generations will live?

You may join me in answering these four questions in the affirmative, but keep in mind that you’re living in a society where about 40% disagree.

Let’s try to get back to a point where no one needed to tell us what it means to be civil.