When I teach humanities, courses wherein the focus is on significant events and cultural patterns from the ancient world up to those in today’s world, it seems that I invariably encounter students who want to argue that we Americans are—and have always been—a far more civilized people than those residing in any other nation on the face of this earth.

In response, I usually ask my students to define the word “civilized.”  What does it mean exactly for a person to be civilized? And some of the answers I have received through the years include the following:

1. Knowing how to act appropriately in situations.
2. More human than animal.
3. Refined, not crude.
4. Having good manners.
5. Not barbaric.

I guess my students do come close to providing an accurate definition. After all, although one might argue that in order for a person to be considered truly civilized, he or she must be educated, cultured, and enlightened, technically the word “civilized” means that someone possesses the characteristics of a state of civilization, specifically refinement, taste, or restraint.

I have to wonder, however, just how many people in this country possess even one of those three characteristics, especially after I read an article in Saturday’s The Advocate (my newspaper of choice).

The article to which I am referring is by Colleen Long of the Associated Press and titled “Shoppers Kill Worker at Wal-Mart.” But, in case you missed the story in your own local paper or on the television news, here are the details:

The Wal-Mart mentioned is located about 20 miles east of Manhattan (New York); and like our local Wal-Mart here in Lafayette, Louisiana, the store offered special “red hot” after-Thanksgiving deals from 5:00 until 11:00 a.m. on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. Apparently a great many people wanted to take advantage of those bargains since, according to Long (2008), the “Nassau County police said about 2,000 people were gathered outside the store doors” on Friday morning, and the people at the forefront of the long lines had been waiting since early Thursday (p. 6A). Tragedy ensued, however, when the crowd, impatient to get the best bargains before they were all gone, knocked down an employee, Jdimytai Damour of Queens, as he opened the doors at 5:00 a.m., after which the crowd continued to push its way through, “leaving a metal portion of the frame crumpled like an accordion” (Long, 2008, p. 6A). Then, as dozens of employees hurried to help the fallen man, they too were trampled, as were a few unlucky shoppers, including a woman who was eight-months-pregnant. And do you know what that out-of-control horde of so-called civilized human beings did? Did they stop to help? Did they even appear concerned? No, what they did was continue to stream into the store like a swarm of hungry piranhas in a feeding frenzy and begin snatching up items and flinging them into carts. If that behavior wasn’t despicable enough, when the police arrived and announced that the store was closing because of a death, the shoppers complained about the inconvenience, shouted angrily in defiance, and kept right on shopping (Long, 2008, p. 6A).

Okay, now that you know the gruesome story, let’s look back at the definition of “civilized.” As previously established, technically, in order for someone to be considered civilized, he or she must possess the characteristics of a state of civilization, specifically refinement, taste, or restraint. However, before reaching a conclusion about whether or not we Americans are civilized, perhaps we should examine the meaning of each of these three words individually:

“Refinement” refers to a state of “civility,” and in order for a person to be considered civil, he or she normally demonstrates good manners, courtesy, and consideration. As for “taste,” if a person is said to have “taste,” it implies that he or she displays sophistication, judgment, sensitivity, and perhaps even wisdom. Finally, if a person is seen as possessing “restraint,” then other people have determined that this person reflects self-discipline and moderation in behavior.

So, I don’t know about you, but after having read Long’s article and with these definitions in mind, I personally have to wonder just how civilized we Americans really are. Not that this is the first time I’ve read something that has caused me to question the state of our civility. And, sadly, I doubt it will be the last. In fact, considering conditions in today’s world, I cannot help but believe I will read future articles that will but further demonstrate exactly how uncivilized we have become. 

Long, C.; Shoppers kill worker at Wal-Mart; Associated Press; The Advocate; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Saturday, November 29, 2008. p. 6A