In my final year of studies, it was required to write a thesis which was used as a base analysis for a graduating project that followed. Having grown up in Tokyo all my life, where society and codes are strict, and following rules is “normal”, I was surprised as I encountered numerous incivil behavior when I started living in Paris. During my entire studies, I tried to understand why people would behave in such ways, if it was cultural, historical or moral in some ways and if it had a social meaning. Therefore, I decided to choose the subject of incivility for my thesis, using my bicultural point of view to analyse it and understand it.
The Object of Incivility
In a society that values politeness as a virtue and morality, incivility is considered a disturbance and a stress in daily life. The very nuisance of these acts testifies the need of restrictions and rules of politeness for a healthy community life. However, could we live in a world without incivility? On the one hand, it seems to reveal social and environmental problems and depicts the balance and evolution in the foundation of the relationship between society and individuals. On the other hand, it becomes a tool for self-expression in a “hyperindividualistic” society, threatening community life. The study of incivility is an object of contradiction and involves morality, psychology, sociology and politics. It will stimulate reflection on the social value of people, on the position of prohibition in society, on the morality of the government and the individual, and finally on the modern notion of living together.
This study will provide an understanding of the individual’s desire and need to break the rules, as well as highlight the socio-political value of incivility. Incivility does not have an universal definition, as the rules of politeness vary according to cultures, social classes and environments. It is sometimes the expression of oneself, sometimes a popular movement. How can it be studied and measured? This lexical blur seems to conceal its deep and political meaning. Therefore it seems necessary to analyse this notion across different cultures to grasp the “value” of incivility. What place does it take in society and what are the motivations behind this act? By comparing the position and influence of incivility across different societies -as well as by analysing their “social health” and their ways of functioning- we can understand the emergence and potential of incivility. The objective of our study is not to hold a moral position aimed to reject and erase incivilities, but to attempt to reveal the role it plays in our cultural identity, in our social relations and in our political power. What is the object of incivility?
In order to complete my research, I conducted 30 interviews -15 French and 15 Japanese- around the subject of incivility to see the cultural disparity. I created infography to summarize and clarify the results.
