The deterioration of common decency

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/04/2024 (862 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

At the risk of sounding fusty and old school, the state of common decency and civil discourse in our community appears to have descended to abject proportions.

Society seems to be able to tolerate a level of conduct that just a few decades ago would be unimaginable. The root of such rudeness can be attributed to a variety of sources which have become mainstream.

I am no stranger to colourful vernacular and intimidation tactics having played through the era of hockey’s Broad Street Bullies, however a recent experience at a Winnipeg Jets game left my former out-of-town teammates at a loss for words.

Apparently not aware of their fellow fans including children, a row of eight young men immediately behind us who were celebrating the engagement of one of their mates, carried on far beyond the raucous cheering to be expected at sporting events. Seated behind us their ignorance prevailed as they mocked Nazem Kadri as a “taxi-driver” in racial slurs that continued even after several of our group let them know they were out of line.

It is likely they weren’t aware of his Lebanese background and his feelings about racism that he often faces in rinks around league. The F-bombs were so frequent that one began to wonder if this was a staple of their vocabulary which didn’t stop after our intervention. Apparently they were hockey players from Calgary in town for the stag, however this unruly behaviour seems to have become commonplace across the country.

Role models come to mind when we think just how low we have descended. Children observing the behaviour of the former U.S. president Trump may believe that lying and name calling are in vogue.

Considering the Washington Post has found that Trump averages 50 false or misleading claims daily in addition to name-calling and contempt for the democratic system we live in, he still remains popular and because he’s a winner the population accepts and tolerates this immature behaviour.

This conduct of our southern neighbour is rubbing off on political discourse here in Canada as the F-Trudeau/freedom convoy sentiment that borders on violence rages on. Members of Parliament now require security details as contempt for our political representatives festers unabated. Polarization so common in America’s two-party system is finding a home here, as being in opposition means objecting to any government initiative, no matter how good an idea it is.

At a time when the monumental problems facing the world need consensus and co-operation, the opposite is happening.

Of course the other elephant in the room is the hand-held computer/phone which plugs directly into the worldwide web.

Outrageous claims are made anonymously and with no checks and balances to establish their truth. People are reluctant to engage in political discourse on social media for fear of being berated in ad hominem attacks.

Reliable sources of news such as the Free Press are lambasted as fake when in reality they are subject to the laws of the land which prevent defamation and printing untruths. The public is no longer welcome to comment on stories online, because the discourse became untenable. Fortunately letters and op-eds allow for the sharing of opinions and beliefs within the context of careful editing.

No such monitoring occurs on the internet.

The key to countering this descent into boorishness is education.

Part of teenage development occurs as youth exchange ideas and learn from each other in a healthy non-threatening environment. This is not about woke, or political correctness, it is about establishing ground rules and understanding each other’s position.

Learning how to disagree respectfully is one of the most important skills students can take into adulthood.

Learning essential skills of logic help to frame one’s point of view. The art of discussion was a regular fixture in my university classroom and prospective teachers were provided a template for ground rules and mediation for a safe exchange of ideas. Discussion fits nicely into the English curriculum of the province and should be an intrinsic part of coursework.

Such measures are essential to counter the ignorance evidenced at the Jets game and to straighten society’s moral compass.

Dave Taylor is a former adjunct professor in education and regular contributor to the Free Press.