Most Americans continue to view themselves as moral people: polls from 2022 and 2025 indicate about eight in 10 believe in their own decency and want politicians to act on moral values. Yet examples from public life—sharper political rhetoric, online misogyny, widespread explicit media content, and rising online scams—suggest civility is weakening. Experts advise curiosity and respectful questions to defuse conflict, but the article asks whether societal goodwill can be restored.
Are We Still Good and Decent People? Polls, Politics and the Erosion of Civility
At Ronald Reagan's gravesite an epitaph reads: "I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always triumph, and that there is purpose and worth to each and every life." Those words continue to resonate for many Americans—and recent polling shows most people still view themselves as moral and decent.
Surveys support that self-image: a 2022 YouGov poll found roughly eight in 10 Americans consider themselves moral people, grounding their ethics in personal conscience, faith and social norms. A 2025 Pew Research survey likewise reported that about eight in 10 respondents want politicians to act on moral values and avoid heated or aggressive language. Another recent poll found that 80 percent of Americans see public displays of empathy as central to a healthy society.
Yet despite these beliefs, there are growing signs that basic civility, honesty and mutual respect are under strain.
Tone From the Top
Public leaders shape civic norms. Critics point to President Donald Trump’s use of derogatory nicknames and confrontational rhetoric since entering politics in 2015—examples often invoked include "Crooked Hillary," "Sleepy Joe Biden," and "Crazy Kamala." Incidents that drew widespread attention include reports that he called Minnesota Governor Tim Walz "severely retarded" and an episode in which a reporter said she was told to be "quiet, piggy." A White House spokesperson defended Trump as "frank, open and honest."
Historically, presidents have been held up as moral exemplars. Franklin D. Roosevelt said the presidency "is preeminently a place of moral leadership." Stories about George Washington stepping down after two terms, Abraham Lincoln guiding the nation through the Civil War, FDR leading during Depression and World War II, and Ronald Reagan’s recovery after an assassination attempt are often cited as inspirational lessons in character and duty.
Public Confidence And Political Scandal
Trust in the presidency declined dramatically after Richard Nixon’s resignation following Watergate; the episode left a lasting dent in public confidence. Later controversies, such as Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky, further eroded trust—by 1998 just 33 percent of respondents described Clinton as "honest and trustworthy." Campaign rhetoric promising moral stewardship—like Jimmy Carter’s 1976 pledge to restore decency to government and George W. Bush’s 2000 vow to uphold the honor and dignity of the office—reflected voters’ appetite for ethical leadership.
Everyday Incivility: Social Media, Media Content, Scams
Digital platforms have lowered barriers to publishing and often reward impulsive, polarizing content. Seventy-three percent of Generation Z report encountering misogynistic content online, with about half seeing it weekly. One respondent said she stopped posting because of "constant hate and negativity."
The internet also facilitates a large online pornography industry; one study found roughly 12 percent of websites host pornographic material, which surveys report is viewed annually by 69 percent of men and 40 percent of women. Popular culture and broadcast media have become more explicit: in 2022, television programs registered some 17,801 instances of foul language, while films used the most extreme profanity thousands of times.
Financial harm from online fraud is another symptom of a less civil digital environment. Scammers target vulnerable people, including the elderly, producing roughly $3 billion in documented losses.
Repairing Conversations At Home
The erosion of civility shows up in family and community life as well. Experts offer practical advice: Dr. Helen Riess, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, recommends asking a conversational opponent, "Can you tell me more about how you came to see things that way?"—a question intended to invite explanation and reduce escalation.
With the holiday season invoking the familiar call for "peace on earth" and goodwill toward others, the central question remains whether our civic norms can be repaired. The evidence—ranging from coarse public rhetoric to corrosive online behavior and the spread of fraud—suggests those norms are under stress, but the desire for moral leadership and empathy persists among many Americans.
About The Author
John Kenneth White is professor emeritus at The Catholic University of America and the author of "Grand Old Unraveling: The Republican Party, Donald Trump, and the Rise of Authoritarianism."
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