Rules of Civility or How to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable

Back in the days before social media when people actually had conversations, people followed rules of polite society. Think Downton Abbey table conversations. Now, on social media, the rules are out and people seem to believe that it's okay to call names and insult others. In fact, they are being encouraged in this by some political candidates. They use the term "political correctness" like it is a swear word. Obviously, someone missed teaching them the basics of civility or how people in polite society deal with differences.

So, here is a suggestion which you may or may not wish to implement in your civil discourse.
I believe that civility relies on awareness. We need to be aware of all aspects of a situation. Who are we talking with? What is their background? Will we need them in the future? Considering these questions may help us to be more civil in our responses to others. I'm suggesting that we pay attention to both ourselves and others when having a conversation. If we sense that feelings are too strong and logic is escaping, we can take various moves to deescalate and preserve the conversation.

If you are interested in learning more about the topic of civility, I recommend the book:  Choosing Civility, The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct, by P.M. Forni. The author is the founder of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project.  Here's a link to an article about the project:  http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1211/p20s01-ussc.html