Greetings to the loving people of Rivers State, and welcome to another episode of Rivethics on Radio, our character-building weekend show. Please remember that morality and civility make up the glue that holds societal harmony together. Our theme today is on how Morality, Civility and Rationality Enhance the Growth of Rivers State Youths.
Morality and civility cultivate a civic code of decency in individuals. Such lifestyle requires us to discipline our impulses for the sake of others. It demands we free ourselves from self-absorption. Civility is that moral glue without which our society could come apart. By committing to ethical behavior, we can help bring civility back to society.
One way to build a better, more civil society is to advance the cause of greater ethics. We need to think about how our actions affect others in the context of how we would wish to be treated in similar situations. This requires looking inside ourselves to understand the difference between right from wrong; good from bad, and then acting in accordance with our beliefs which should be driven by moral virtues.
Annual polls and surveys carried out in different countries identify a civility problem in most societies, with most classifying it as a major problem. People experience incivility and in a wide variety of situations, most typically while shopping, while driving, or while on social media. Rude behavior and offensive gestures seem on the rise driven by a lack of civility. Given the scope of incivility in our daily lives, each of us should look for ways to decrease these negative behaviors that can cause distress to ourselves and others. If we don’t, there will continue to be a growing problem with school, street and cyber bullying that sometimes leads to suicide, especially among the young.
Civility in the workplace is also a growing problem. The costs of incivility rise as employee stress levels increase leading to diminished employee performance and increased employee turnover. Uncivil behavior threatens harmony in the workplace and can lead to attacks by one employee on another through social media.
A workplace research found that workers getting adequate respect reported much higher levels of health and well-being; derived greater enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning from their jobs; and had better focus and a greater ability to prioritize. Those feeling respected were also much more likely to engage with work tasks and more likely to stay with their organizations. The study concludes that when organizations address these issues systematically, more civility will follow in the general society.
We ought to do all we can to encourage and maintain high morals, civility and good behavoiur in society. It works well towards the overall growth and development of our youth in society.
Our guest speaker today is, Prof. Sor Ngor Clifford Teme, Professor of Geotechnics, Rivers State University. He will be sharing his insights on the subject. Please enjoy the episode.
Our good people of Rivers State, don’t forget to always let your manners speak for you.
God bless and keep you and your families and God bless Rivers State.
You can also listen to and download the Pidgin English version of this Episode below