Decency strikes me as the common man's kindness. Decent (per Merriam-Webster) means "Proper and fitting; not immodest, not obscene, chaste; conforming to social standards, respectable; reasonably good or adequate; fair and kind". And if you think about it, those things are all pretty easy to offer to one another. The phrase "Common Decency" conveys the whole meaning, really: a common sense of responsible fairness and fitting behaviour of respect for others.
It can be as simple as waiting for someone else to enter or helping someone with a heavy item. It can be as meaningful as keeping quiet in a moment where others shout or laugh away or taking upon ourselves the unkind or uncharitable comment meant for another. It can simply be not noticing a thing that, were it called out, could create a moment of embarrassment.
It becomes even more important, as Vonnegut points out, in a society that is none of these things.
It had never struck me before that to be humble is to be decent but upon consideration, why would it not be? Part of being humble is to think of others; is not decency the simple practice of thinking of others in our everyday social situations?
I suppose it could be said that decency is an outward act of humility, something that summarizes an attitude of humility. It isn't a word or concept used much nowadays, as it seems to have been abandoned by the angry element of society. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteSo true. The new counter-culture is kindness.
ReplyDeletePerhaps treat others as you would like to be treated TB......now what was that called once upon a time? Hmmmm......what was it....hmmm....
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