--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great thing about civility is that it…" description: "\"The great thing about civility is that it does not require you to agree with or approve of anything. You don't even have to love your neighbor to be c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_agree_the-great-thing-about-civility-is-that-i_2639407.jpg" --- # The great thing about civility is that it does not require… ![“The great thing about civility is that it does not require you to agree with or approve of anything. You don't even have to love your neighbor to be civil. You just have to treat your neighbor the same way you would like your neighbor to treat your grandmother, or your child.” quote by Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_agree_the-great-thing-about-civility-is-that-i_2639407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_agree_the-great-thing-about-civility-is-that-i_2639407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_agree_the-great-thing-about-civility-is-that-i_2639407.jpg) > “The great thing about civility is that it does not require you to agree with or approve of anything. You don't even have to love your neighbor to be civil. You just have to treat your neighbor the same way you would like your neighbor to treat your grandmother, or your child.” [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civility requires treating others as we wish our loved ones to be treated, regardless of agreement or affection. **In simple terms:** Treat others as you’d treat family. Key Takeaway Practice respectful behavior. Themes civility respect empathy ethics Mood thoughtful calm Type ethical practical When to use this quote - community building - conflict resolution - everyday interactions Key Concepts golden rule moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Can you stay civil without agreement? - What limits does civility have? A Different Perspective People may struggle to be civil with hostile individuals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agree/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Civil Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-just-2257600/) [Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility/) [Civility Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility-does-2257597/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Grandmother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandmother/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Love you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-you/) [Love your neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-your-neighbor/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Neighbor Civil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor-civil-2257599/) [Our children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-children/) [Thing Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-civility-2257598/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Your children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-children/) [Your grandmother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-grandmother/) ## Related quotes > [Civility does not ...mean the mere outward gentleness of speech cultivated for the occasion, but an inborn gentleness and desire to do the opponent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/civility-does-not-mean-the-mere-outward-gentleness-of-speech/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Now, you may think this is all kindergarten ethics, right down to the time-out for naught kids. 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Your grandmother is never going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-leslie/unfortunately-i-don-t-have-my-grandparents-but-mum-and-i-are-working/) [Rose Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-leslie/) > [You don't have to be in "Who's Who" to know what's what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/you-don-t-have-to-be-in-who-s-who-to-know-what-s-what/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [Conservatism is the policy of make no change and consult your grandmother when in doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/conservatism-is-the-policy-of-make-no-change-and-consult-your/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-do-not-really-understand-something-unless-you-can-explain-it-to/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. 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It's like biting into your grandmother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/eating-meat-is-the-most-disgusting-thing-i-can-think-of-it-s-like/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [Picture your grandmother in Hell, baking pies... without an oven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/picture-your-grandmother-in-hell-baking-pies-without-an-oven/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [If you go to Atlanta, the first question people ask you is, "What's your business?" In Macon they ask, "Where do you go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berendt/if-you-go-to-atlanta-the-first-question-people-ask-you-is-what-s-your/) [John Berendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berendt/) > [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) ## More by Barbara Brown Taylor > [The poets began drifting away from churches as the jurists grew louder and more insistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-poets-began-drifting-away-from-churches-as-the-jurists-grew/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [I decided I got to say whether I was Christian or not, and so I've relaxed enormously since then. 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I learned that from my father, I think, who loved his own company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/i-love-being-alone-i-learned-that-from-my-father-i-think-who-loved/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [There was no time anymore to be quiet or still or pray. So, in many ways, that's what led to my downward spin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/there-was-no-time-anymore-to-be-quiet-or-still-or-pray-so-in-many/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [The beauty in the losing is a loss finally of self-consciousness. There's a gorgeous moment that can happen in all kinds of places. 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