Currently, public discourse is believed to be full of incivility because human communication became disrespectful. People are often rude in their expressions and they do not care about the possibility to hurt others with their claims. Focusing on the ideas developed in the framework of interactional psychology, it can be presupposed that the best way to return to civility in public discourse is to affect organizational behavior (Antweiler). In particular, it seems to be beneficial to affect employees because they represent the majority of the general public and are an example for young children who tend to copy them.
A respectful environment can be built when employees are led by their leader’s behavior. Violation of social norms should be minimalized to ensure positive changes. It can be advantageous to develop particular rules for in-person and via email communication to set the tone for the community (Carroll-Garrison). It can be even advantageous to develop specific courses for newcomers and experienced workers to enhance their interpersonal behavior. It is also possible to develop initiatives that address uncivil behavior (Solon). For instance, a person can be suspended from the exercise of his/her duties for a while. If all organizations within a community develop a policy that deals with discourse incivility and improper behavior, they are likely to change people’s interactions at work. Spending much time in such environment, individuals are likely to act in the same way when being at home or in public places. There should be a possibility to report aggressive behavior so that it can be addressed and prevented in the future.
Nevertheless, it is critical to build a respectful environment not only within an organization. Technological development made it possible to share information on the Internet, and incivility should be avoided there as well. In the majority of cases, people swear or start conflicts online when they realize that no one will understand who they really are. Minimalizing options for anonymity can be a great way out in this situation (Graf et al. 256). It is also possible to create a ban for messages that include discourse incivility (Stead). Seeing that messages with improper language are not viewed on a website, people who write them tend to stop doing so.
When a change is needed, it is vital to make people understand it. To overcome discourse incivility, authorities should explain to people how they should interact. It can be done with the help of particular education and resources (Williams). For instance, there should be courses not only for language development but also for the enhancement of problem-solving skills and conflict resolution. The representatives of the general public should have easy access to stress management sessions. They are to be taught to vent their anger so that they do not affect others adversely. There should be enough professionals working in the community and providing psychological services. In addition to that, it seems to be very advantageous if there are enough opportunities for recreational activities in a city. In this way, people can cope with their negative emotions in a positive way without facing a necessity to reveal their attitudes using incivilities and rude phrases.
Thus, it can be concluded that discourse incivility can be overcome in several ways. It is possible to develop associated regulations at work so that proper language becomes a habit practiced on a regular basis. Improper messages should be banned on the Internet to make people realize that there is no sense in their actions as they will not be perceived by the public. Finally, it is significant to provide psychological support and an opportunity to reveal negative feelings and emotions in a positive way so that there will be no need to express them with discourse incivility.
Works Cited
Antweiler, Werner. “Free Speech and Civility in Public Discourse.” Werner Antweiler. 2018, Web.
Carroll-Garrison, Martina. “How Successful People Overcome Workplace Incivility.”LinkedIn. 2015, Web.
Graf, Joseph, et al. “The Role of Civility and Anonymity on Perceptions of Online Comments.” Mass Communication and Society, vol. 20, no. 4, 2017, pp. 526-549.
Solon, Raquelle. “Strategies to Stop Workplace Bullying.”Crisis Prevention. 2014, Web.
Stead, Sylvia. “Should the Globe Fix or Ban Online Comments?”The Globe and Mail. 2016, Web.
Williams, Ray. “The Rise of Incivility and What to Do About It.” Psychology Today. 2016, Web.