Nature, nurture and bell-shaped curves --- I agree with you Christian that tyranny is not an 'excuse' for rudeness. I found it interesting as an explanation, however. In most of this lecture, I have foregrounded universals of politeness. In this sentence, I try to acknowledge categories where politeness and consideration don't seem to occur as the default. This does not mean that they cannot be learnt. All codes of politeness have to be learnt, after all, but whereas most human beings are inclined not only to learn them but to adhere to rules of politeness/consideration (to a greater or lesser extent), some seen not to have that gene at all. They then have to put more effort in. Since tyrants don't usually bother making any effort for the good of others, I was offering an apologia rather than an apology on their behalf!

Source author: Biljana Scott biscott@diplomacy.edu