When so much of civic life is painful and fractious, why should we be polite? Drawing on the work of early Chinese philosophers who lived during great political turmoil but nonetheless avidly sought to "mind their manners," Amy Olberding explains why politeness still matters, and why it is essential to human life, due to our deeply social nature. "In this deeply personal book, philosopher Amy Olberding brilliantly shows how ancient Confucians can help us to grasp the centrality of manners and civility to good lives today. The Wrongness of Rudeness has important lessons for anyone who has ever struggled to be polite -- or wondered whether it's worth the bother." -- Stephen C. Angle, Mansfield Freeman Professor of East Asian Studies, Wesleyan University