Part 8/13:
Hudson critiques efforts by political leaders, like Michael Bloomberg’s civility campaigns, to impose politeness through laws and penalties. She argues that democracy relies on voluntary self-governance. Mandates—such as fines for texting in theaters or outrageous rules at baseball games—fail because they overlook that civility must stem from moral choice, not enforcement.
She cautions against an overreach that could threaten liberty and warns that autocrats may exploit the desire for civility to impose authoritarian controls. Instead, the true foundation of civility must be rooted in individual moral responsibility.