Decency
Item No. 10
“Decency isn’t built-in to our society, necessarily. It isn’t just ready for us to implement. It doesn’t come with walnut doors, or a pull-out work surface.”Decency isn’t built-in to our society, necessarily. It isn’t just ready for us to implement. It doesn’t come with walnut doors, or a pull-out work surface. It's difficult to carry. It’s not even easy to describe. It's something different altogether. Mostly it has to do not with not thinking about just ourselves, but about how we relate to others. As it is the behavior that invites human beings to conform to accepted standards of morality or respectability. And who can agree on this? (Without a conversation). (See catalog entry: Us). By the way, other words that represent the concept of decency are words like this: propriety, decorum, seemliness, good taste, respectability, dignity, correctness, good form, etiquette, appropriateness, appropriacy, fitness, suitability, morality, virtue, modesty, purity, delicacy, demureness, wholesomeness, courtesy, politeness, good manners, civility, respect, respectfulness, consideration, thought, thoughtfulness, tact, diplomacy. The opposite of decency is indecency, rudeness. We list decency in this season’s catalog in consideration of societal markers indicative of such a measure, one being CEO pay, for example. Currently CEO pay is 200 times that of a worker’s pay–something like an average of 16.3 million earned by a Chief as compared to an average worker who earns roughly $82,000. And what about profit margin? We might ask what a good profit margin is, too. But what is a decent profit margin after all?
The lack of decency means an absence of things like respectful communication, empathy and compassion, showing understanding or concern for others and acting with integrity and honesty, being truthful (see catalog entry: Truth) and acting with moral principles. Where decency is lacking, fairness and impartiality–treating others equally and without bias, lacks. Social responsibility might also be lacking too. This might mean a lack of contributing positivity to the community and not carefully considering the impact of our behavior or actions on the behavior of others.
To opt in to decency is to give and not get. Thus, the price for decency becomes a selfless act and an act in honor of others in spite of cultural norms or considerations that might invite other choices.
Other specifications:
Holding doors open for others; offering compliments; Volunteering; Acknowledging efforts; Apologizing; Standing up against injustice or discrimination; Being kind to others; Listening actively; Being honest; Abiding common rules; Consideration of feelings; Cooperation; Accountability.
(See reference.)