Reviving Civility: Can Timeless Principles Heal Our Society?

A Critical Look at The Soul of Civility and Its Call for Honest Discourse

Welcome to our quarterly book review at Good Government Files! This time, we’re looking deep into The Soul of Civility. I selected this book based on a recommendation from a GGF reader, following our first review of The Fifth Risk.

I wanted to love this book. The title promises a lot — healing society — something I deeply desire. I long for a world where we can agree to disagree, where we can have different opinions on controversial topics and remain friendly, and where our political discourse elevates the culture instead of debasing it. That’s gonna take a lot of healing.

Before diving into The Soul of Civility, I experienced a stark reminder of its relevance during a jarring encounter at the Tampa airport. I saw an overweight, middle-aged guy wearing a T-shirt that read “Joe Biden is more confused than Michelle Obama’s gynecologist.” I want to know how to heal that guy.

Our society needs a book on civility, clearly. And not just for white trash like airport guy. Many of you work in local government communication and moderate social media accounts. You are on the receiving end of uncivil comments every day. Those trollish commenters could certainly use a crash course in civic enlightenment and some healing themselves.

Hudson’s main thesis in The Soul of Civility¹ is that overcoming our inherent selfishness is crucial for fostering a truly civil society. Though I agree with this sentiment, she could have made her points more succinctly. Repetition and verbosity diluted the impact of her otherwise solid arguments. Despite its flaws, the book’s core message is crucial: Our society desperately needs civility. For those working in government, or outside the public sphere but who want to influence policy, this book offers valuable insights, even if its delivery could be more succinct.

Let’s rummage through The Soul of Civility and explore its strengths and weaknesses further.