[powertower]

I don't know how bad it is at the high school level, but it does get worse as you go up to the University level...

For an example, take the 2014 CEDA Championship Debate held at Indiana University -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmO-ziHU_D8

* It seems that all the original videos from the above have been removed (from youtube), only clips are available.

For those that are interested, a response to the criticism of the above "debate" was made that is itself cringe-worthy and difficult to watch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pij5Sg4_DY

[lukasschwab]

McCordick argues that debate is becoming an inaccessible rhetorical monoculture; you point out a trend towards rhetorical diversification, affect theory, and personalization.

This is arguably competitive debate's biggest culture clash (though debaters from neither camp could be successful without proficiency in the other)––even if you believe them to be corrosive, it's misguided to construe them as parts of the same trend.

Additionally, it's interesting that you select 2014 CEDA finals as an example, which was not only criticized but also met with fairly vicious racism––why not the 2015 NDT, which exemplifies the kind of debate McCordick criticizes? Or the 2013 NDT, which shows the two styles in interaction?