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Mostofuslookawaywhenwepassstrangers.Itistheexpectionalpersonwhostopstohelpthewomanmaneuveringherkidsandgroceriesupthestaircase.Werarelygiveupinlineoronthesubwayorbus.Lockedintoourautomobiles,weprefergridlocktogivingway.
Thesedailyencounters,whentheyareangryoralien,diminishourlives.Whentheyarepleasant,wefeelbuoyed.Yetwhenwesitathomeandmakeresolutions,wethinkaboutwhatwecanaccomplishinprivatespaces：home,work.Toomanyhavegivenupthebeliefthattheycontroltheshared,thepublicworld.
Asindividualswecanchangethecontourofaday,themoodofamoment,thewaypeoplefeel.Thedemolitionandreconstructionofpubliclifeistheresultofpersonaldecisionsmadeeveryday：thedecisiontogiveupaseatonthebus；thedecisiontobepatientorpleasantagainstallodds；thedecisiontoletthatjerktakealeft－handturnfromaright－handlanewithoutrollingdownthewindowandcallinghimajerk.
It'stheresolutiontobeacivil,socialcreature.Thismaybeapeakperiodforthebattleagainstthespreadofawaistlineandcreepingcholesterol.Butitisalsowithinourwillpowertofightthespreadofurbanrudenessandcreepinghostility.Civilitydoesn'tstopnuclearholocaustanddoesn'tputaroofovertheheadofthehomeless.Butitmakesadifferenceintheshapeofacommunity,assurelyasliftingweightscanmakeadifferenceintheshapeofahumantorso.