Incivility includes harmful activities that threaten public safety and order, such as vandalism and public drunkenness. Laws regulating incivility vary by jurisdiction and can be difficult to define. Different cultures have different standards, and travelers should research laws and customs before visiting a foreign country.
Incivility is behavior that threatens orderly and reasonable public processes; it is sometimes described as rudeness or bad manners, but goes further to cover activities specifically harmful to the social order. Some examples of incivility include vandalism and public drunkenness. Many governments regulate uncivilized activities if they pose a threat to public health and safety, and convicted individuals can face fines or jail time, especially for repeated offences.
The idea that people should maintain reasonable and decent standards of behavior for the benefit of society as a whole is very old in many societies. These activities can undermine society, as well as public safety in a variety of ways, from creating threats to public health to making public places hostile and difficult for people to navigate. It can be difficult to define and legislate incivility. Gathering in a public place, for example, is a right guaranteed by many governments, but at the same time, hoarse crowds of people can feel threatening and can make society less safe, so law enforcement agencies need to be able to act when crowds become dangerous.
In regions where laws cover various uncivilized behaviors, they are usually found in municipal codes. Some examples can be found in national law or case law; “Fighting words,” for example, are an example of law-based incivility in the United States, where people are not allowed to make statements that may incite violence or crimes against specific groups of people. Another incivility may be a social problem, but not necessarily subject to regulation. School bullying and workplace incivility are two examples of this, where people who disrupt classrooms and workplaces may not be subject to legal penalties, but may need to meet with supervisors and teachers to discuss the situation.
Different jurisdictions have their own boundaries when it comes to incivility. More formal cultures tend to have more extensive laws, and visitors sometimes find these laws repressive in nature. For example, in some countries, women are expected to cover most of their bodies when in public and can be fined if they don’t. Other nations may have more relaxed laws and allow for a wider range of behavior under the law before law enforcement intervenes.
People preparing to travel to a foreign country may want to consult the incivility laws in the country they will be visiting to learn more. People may need to adjust their behavior to ensure they are not breaking the law, and it may also be helpful to know the rules and customs to avoid offending.
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