Put that way - you make a compelling argument. It's a self-fulfilling cycle. People find the news and entertainment that boil complex political issues down to binary logic more palatable and thus, the news agencies spoon-feeding it to them get more ratings and advertising revenue. As the audience becomes more and more used to this new operating paradigm of 'news McNuggets', the level of complexity at which the news is presented becomes lower and lower. Hence the success of soundbites, slogans, political platforms and sensationalism.

I get what you're saying now. Their insidious little staged erosion of consumer intellect hasn't dumbed me down completely! This is a very good point, sir. I wonder if this is the result of concious design, however, or simply the pressure of economic forces.

PS. My voice carries weight? :O Since when? What scholarly reputation? I didn't even know I had a reputation at all! Why does it take this long for someone to tell me I have all these things?

Let me reassure you right now, I don't think I've ever dismissed anything anyone ever said to me in my life. And even if I was inclined to dismiss opinions out of hand, I certainly wouldn't dismiss one of yours, chief!