Synopsis:
People are rude–and here’s what you can do about it.
Review:
I would like to see everyone in the world read The Civility Solution. It always baffles me how much rudeness is out there in the world. When I was pregnant, I was constantly amazed that people would not give me a seat on the subway, for example. Or the ever increasing hordes of cell phone yakkers. As my best friend would say, “The nerve of some people’s children!”
I suppose endorsing this book makes me a prig, but I don’t really care. I hate dealing with rudeness. I bemoan the disintegration of the public square. I blame reality television and Free to Be You and Me. I wish people could be ticketed for stopping short on a crowded sidewalk.
PW Forni offers practical solutions to common rudeness issues with friends, coworkers, acquaintances and strangers. His responses are direct and tactful and likely to incite rage in those to which they are directed, because people just aren’t used to being confronted in their rudeness. Never fear, because Forni addresses these scenarios as well. The Civility Solution is helpful, and when I finished reading I felt like I had just had a personal coaching session with a very polite and kind person.
I worked in daycare for years, and the other staff and I would roll our eyes at each other and ‘Some people’s parents!’ when our clients got rude. It’s amazing what people think they can get away with these days.
Book sounds good, too.
A way to coach other people to politeness? Wow.
Ah! Sounds like an interesting read.
But I’ll be honest, although there are many ‘rude’ people out there. I also believe our society (and I speak of North America here) lacks patience. Everyone just needs to calm the hell down. I’d like to read a book about that. If everyone were just really relaxed and mellow and not always in a freaking rush, there would be much less room for rude people. People are rude because they need to get somewhere, they’re late, they’re in a hurry, they’re stressed about their lives, because our lives are full of hectic junk.
I could go on and on.
Now I’m stressed!! haha
He actually advises patience in a lot of scenarios, like when a person is trying to cut you off. Just let them. I think reading this book would be a good antidote to the problem you’re describing, Steph.
It sounds like a book everyone should read!
I added this to my shopping cart at Amazon. I’ve always had this thing about rudeness. The cell phone thing drives me nuts! Why would you want the entire world to hear your conversation?
Especially when most conversations are so boring! “I’m sitting on the train. It took me forever to get my ticket. I’m meeting so and so and then we’re going to walk over to 9th avenue where I hope we can find a taxi.”
I mean, if you’re going to force me to listen to you, at least talk about something interesting!