What does it mean to be civilized?

Being civilized means to have a very high developed culture. People say "Act in a civilized behaviour", so you could take that to mean that being civilized is the same as being polite or even respectful. Civilized is defined in the dictionary as having a very high respect for your culture. That is why you see so many different kinds of people in America. There are different languages, foods, and types of clothing. Being civilized means to just respect your culture and what you believe in.