“The best way of commemorating 9/11 is, in my opinion, promoting ideas of goodness; talking about goodness,” said Johns Hopkins professor Dr. P.M. Forni. “Goodness is not a bad word. It is considered a little uncool.”
“It will be a better world if we can teach our children that goodness is cool,” the professor added. Forni founded and directs The Civility Initiative at Johns Hopkins University.
Around the country, from California to Utah to Tennessee and more, events with themes of civility and kindness are planned to mark the attacks of a decade ago.
Forni is pleased that there are so many civility-themed events marking the anniversary. “I think first of all it’s a good thing to commemorate. So we will not forget as early as we would otherwise,” he said. The goal of such events should be “commemorating the victims,” and “promoting civil behavior among citizens.”
Forni said that it is fortunate that human sorrow diminishes with time, so naturally we went back to being our former selves, no longer as civil or as united as we were after the “larger than life” events.
In some ways that is not a problem. “Conflict is part of the soul of democracies. Only in dictatorships does everyone seem to agree,” said Forni. Though conflict is essential to the democratic process, it should not “degenerate into ad hominem attacks.” (ad hominem—attacking a person rather than diagreeing with his ideas)
When discourse is venomous, young people want to avoid becoming involved in politics. They can become cynical and disengaged. “That’s one of the sad consequences of incivility; refusal of the young to be involved” in civic life, said Forni.
Incitement
On a website announcing a 9/11 blood drive in Cordova, Tenn., co-sponsored by two divergent groups, a contrast is notable. “We both see it as a witness to civility, sacrifice, and the true American spirit,” said Steve Stone, quoted on the CBN News website.
The comments section of the site is full of vicious ad hominem attacks—the kind of uncivil remarks Forni deplores. In a possible manifestation of such incitement, vandals struck a religious building under construction in the area.
Speaking of anger against Arabs, South Asians, and other groups, Forni said, “The realm of civility is a realm of the unenforceable. There is another realm that is regulated by law.”
He thinks civility must be taken seriously, partly because it has the power to prevent violence.
His newest book is “The Thinking Life, How to Thrive in an Age of Distraction,” published Sept. 13. He described it as an “invitation to thinking before speaking, before acting.” It is a departure from his previous books, he said.
“Thoughtful is a person who thinks a lot about the well being of others,” said Forni.
