What makes a civilization civilized?

When a society comes to preserve itself it is civilized. When it is more concerned with the murder rate than with gas prices or the traffic on the interstate, that is civilized. When the murder rate is so low it is close to non-existence, that is civilized. When death passes by like rain that is uncivilized. When all anyone cares about is the latest celebrity gossip or what the politicians did "wrong" this time or how "great" Obama is, that is uncivilized.