Well, to start, it is not and cannot be the same thing as being respectful or polite, because we need civility precisely when we're dealing with those people that we find it the most difficult, or maybe even impossible, to respect.
Para empezar, no es ni puede ser lo mismo que ser respetuoso o educado, porque necesitamos civilidad precisamente  cuando tratamos con esas personas que nos resultan de lo más difícil,  o incluso imposible, de respetar.