Be Polite. Say What?

I've noticed an upsetting trend on television lately. The first I became aware of it was on The Apprentice a season or so ago. At the end of each show when the choice of who gets fired is narrowed down to two or three, the participants have a chance to debate their performances and the reasons why they shouldn't be fired. Or at least that's the idea. What they do is talk over each other, getting more and more strident until they turn into whiny brats and you wish they would all get fired. Which sometimes happens, actually. I think Donald gets sick of them at that point, too. (I can't say if that's the case this year, since I got thoroughly sick of Donald over the Rosie thing and refuse to watch The Apprentice any longer. I also refuse to watch The View since I'm also sick of Rosie. Both of them make me gag at the moment.)

Now it's happening on the news. I watch Good Morning America while I dress in the morning. I find it the least nauseating of the morning news shows. This morning they brought on a set of lawyers to debate the fall from grace of the lady astronaut. One was to present the potential defense and the other the potential prosecution. But, instead of each giving a rational explanation of each position, they proceded to try the case right there on the air, talking over each other and getting louder and louder and making less and less sense. When they were finally called to silence by the host, both grinned like idiots. Written all over their faces was the thought, "Aren't I great? I talked louder than you, so I won."

So what is it? What happened to honest, calm debate with rational arguments to support your case? When did getting semi-hysterical become the basis for making the right decision?

My kingdom for a return to manners and decorum.

LSW