New Book: CIVILITY - A Cultural History

My new book, CIVILITY - A Cultural History (608 pages) is coming off the press at the University of Toronto in April 2009.

Here is some ADVANCE PRAISE received by the UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS:

Benet Davetian’s scintillating tour de force fills a gaping void in the history of ideas. If you are serious about the civility-civilization connection, you will want your well-thumbed copy of Norbert Elias’ tome to share a place on your nightstand with this newcomer destined to last.
• P.M. Forni, Professor, Johns Hopkins University.
Author of Choosing Civility: The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct

Civility: A cultural History is a tour-de-force: a work of dazzling scholarship on this core concept of our social life, ranging from the Middle Ages to the present, and covering France, England and the United States. Spitting, line-up etiquette, toilet hygiene, good manners, and the relativity of politeness are all discussed as they change and vary in this most engaging and poetically written work. Davetian is as much at home with “The Art of Courtly Love,” the Enlightenment, the rise of individualism, the Victorian gentleman and gentlewoman, as with contemporary teens and narcissism. It’s absolutely fascinating!
• Anthony Synnott, Professor of Sociology, Concordia University.
Author of The Body Social; Shadows: Issues and Social Problems in
Canada; co-author of Aroma: The Cultural History of Smell. Read more!

Tell Me Why

A few years ago I partially wrote a novel about a world in which the children had taken over politics. Yesterday I saw a video which speaks to the heart. It is a child singing (and signing with star quality) a song called "Tell Me Why." Over 2,000,000 people have watched it on YouTube and I am sure many hundreds of thousands had reactions similar to my own. Where this boy to ask me that question, Tell Me Why, face to face, I would begin answering with a bunch of sociological, economic and political explanations...but then, half way through, I would turn my face away in shame. WATCH THE VIDEO "TELL ME WHY." Read more!

How's the middle class faring thirty years later?

A fascinating article on the plight of the middle class compared to what it was many years ago. Read SQUEEZED
Read more!

History of the Internet

Ever wonder how the Internet developed? Watch the HISTORY OF THE INTERNET VIDEO. Read more!

Bail out your neighbour...

I came on an interesting YouTube video today. The title was what inspired me. The actual content consisted of sad photos of homeless and destitute people. But the title made me think. This job crisis that has hit the United States can be made less painful if Americans adopted 'Bail Out Your Neighbour' as a mission. Most who lose their jobs have trouble meeting essential expenses. In many cases moving in with family members can help. In other cases, with friends. Certainly, a neighbour who agrees to share food and facilities can help a jobless family stay moored to shore and not drift into the land of the homeless, a place from which return is difficult.

It is not an insane idea. We would do well to not count 100% on governments to save us. We might have to save each other. There are so many small ways of sharing that can lead to big results...sharing paper for printing resumes, knowledge sharing for skill-upgrading, an extra plate or two at the dinner table, shared child-care while parents hunt for jobs, shared cell phones. All we need is some trust and determination. We're great at car-pooling. Why not people-pool? Maybe even the rich could take some time off shopping and join in. WATCH VIDEO: HOMELESS IN AMERICA Read more!

Wealth Shame?

Are the rich becoming self-conscious about their wealth? Are we headed for a 'hidden-label' culture?
Check out this INTERESTING ARTICLE Read more!

REX MURPHY Cross-Canada Check Up Radio

On January 4th, I was privileged to be a guest on Rex Murphy's thought-provoking 2-hour Canadian (CBC) radio programme. The subject was CIVILITY. Are we becoming less civil than before? What can be done about increasing civility in a complex society? These were some of the questions we discussed on this proramme with the participation of callers. You can LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST. Read more!

A VISION OF STUDENTS TODAY

...And over 2,900,000 people have watched this video on the CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENTS TODAY. WATCH. And let's hope that the leaders in our educational establishments are also watching. Read more!

SHIFT HAPPENS by Carl Fisch

Over a million people have viewed this video on the shifting global landscape. It should be shown in every school and corporation. WATCH THE 6-minute VIDEO
Read more!