THE FORGOTTEN ARTS….

OF DEBATE AND DISCUSSION

The constant clucking of chickens, the braying of several donkeys, the oinking of pigs and the monotonous moo's from the cows and the bleating of sycophantic sheep, interspersed with the occasional coo of a dove, quickly drowned out by a cacophony of crap from the other animals – sorry, members of parliament – that is what I hear when I (occasionally) listen to what passes for “debate” in parliament.

What happened to informed debate, the careful marshalling of facts and evidence to present your point of view to others? All I hear now is a constant stream of banality usually aimed at putting “them” (whoever “they” are) in the least favourable light whilst “spinning” your own precarious position into one that (in your opinion) looks foolproof, complete with personal attacks on anyone who dares to go against your opinion. At my school, we were taught (and encouraged) HOW to debate and discuss – now it seems, it doesn’t matter. I have found just ONE newspaper that lives up to its credo, the ‘Guardian’ in England:

“comment is free; facts are sacred”

We are said to be losing the art of conversation, debate and discussion. They are dying in a hell's kitchen of mobile phones, BlackBerrys, iPods, emails, soundbites, chat-shows and drinks parties.  Nowadays no one converses - people shout and text. Does Eminem “do” conversation? It is lost amid the cacophony of anger, attitude, rap and satire. When the American vice-president, Dick Cheney, was challenged by a colleague to conversational debate and discussion on the floor of the Senate, he was at a loss. In that great deliberative chamber, echoing with the ghosts of rhetoric and near the mighty Library of Congress, this Jupiter* could only mutter, “Go fuck yourself!" It was, wrote the columnist Russell Baker, "total language failure". To many, conversation is something broadcast, an ersatz exchange of one-liners on a chat-show, “the sound of two egos talking". And what is a blog but a “digital coffee house”?

Throughout history, courtesy has granted human beings the confidence to interact creatively and thus scale the ladder of genius. Each generation rightly regards this ritual as sacred, and fears for its future. For the present, it seems in good health but don’t ask me to pronounce on the future!

* I used this planet intentionally – it’s a big ball of gas – politicians take note!

Until next time (conversationally, and without gas),

Peripatetic Scribe