Are you civil?

Most of the time. I've been called "Mary Poppins" because I try to be polite and don't swear a lot. If I'm cranky, though, I can be quite curt.

I'm so not-civil it's criminal.

Yes, as close to all the time as I can manage. I feel that uncivil people are directly responsible for the decline of Western civilization (no pun intended)...
**reality: I think that you're right in there being a difference between civility and political correctness. I didn't realize that anyone confused the two. Oh, and note the smiley...lack of civility is a symptom, not a cause.

Yah. My boss teases me for apologizing for being in a cranky mood when I've been being more civil than many folks are at the best of times. I can lose it like anyone else, but keeping channels of communication open is really important to me... if I'm going to be uncivil, I might as well not interact with the person at all.

Yes, though my desire for conciseness and brevity can seem brusque - in my heart I am generally very compassionate (especially to people I don't know - I'm harder on people I do know).

Except when I was quitting smoking, and I was pretty much an butt-hole all the time.

Most of the time I am. If I don't like someone then they are a target for a cold and generally rude attitude. Also, if I'm busy I tend to be curt and to the point; something that is generally taken as rudeness.

I think what bill said applies to me too.

I'm polite and civil most of the time, but I have no compunctions about being a dog if required.

there is a difference between civility (is that a word?) and political correctness.. the political correctness movement has made people essentially meek. they are afraid to say anything for fear of stepping on people's toes. I am not suggesting that we step on people's toes. but you can express yourself in a civil manner, you just need to realize that someone somewhere is going to take offense, no matter what you say. (not quite exactly what I wanted to express, but close enough) ** Daver: yah, to a point. but you won't get them to admit to the responsibility. it isn't their fault.. that is the catch phrase for the last how many years? ** Daver: ish.. it is actually both.. the fact that people seem to be less civil than they could as a general rule breeds more of the same. it is a symptom and a cause (but certainly not a closed loop).

The exception is when I have telemarketers calling me about idiocy when I am busy...and I am always busy.

If I'm in a bad mood I still try to be civil to strangers. My kids know to just stay out of my way.

Yeah, all the time, but I don't think its important. I've just been trained to be that way. I wish I could change...

maybe not all the time. but the times when i am not are few and far between

I am mostly civil "by accident" because I'm nice/friendly (which is not necessarily the same), and because I dislike interpersonal conflict. I don't have particularly good manners.

I'm probably more civil with strangers than with friends. Jen, I think my perception of the word "civil" depends on what it's being compared to - compared to "friendly" it's cold; compared to "rude" it's nice.

I'm always civil if the person is civil with me, but woe be unto him or her who dares to be uncivil to me. I will see that it NEVER happens again.

What's OOI? I think I'm usually civil (I try for even interleave on road merges and say thank you to check out clerks, etc.), but there's a lot of variation in how people want to be treated. For example, I think chattiness in business interactions is kind of rude (wastes other people's time) which is probably the prevailing northeastern attitude, but southerners seem to like chatting for several minutes before starting business. My most common uncivil thing is not noticing people when I'm walking. I think that has a lot to do with being short - people can't be counted on to notice me, so I treat them as moving obstacles, like kids do. When I get angry I can be very rude.

O.O.Incivility

I can be a real dog. I know this for a fact, my best friend slapped me once for saying something to her that was very, very UNcivil. I thought she had the right to punch me out but she didn't she just said something worse back. I love my best friend, she's the coolest person I know! :ì

most of the time i'm quiet and polite, but if i'm in a bad mood i turn into such a dog.. sometimes it's really fun though...

Hmmm... all depends on what means to be "civil". Sometimes, I think it is too hard to be civil with some people...

By my standards, yes. By the standards of uptight people, not always.