I think latter days civilisation is just tired. Thats why the debates are dour.
People are tired without really knowing it.
People, even younger people, have seen most of everything in recent times.
Even pollies are mostly uninspired; and uninspiring to many.
Too much media pollution.
The threats from the newpaper pages. tv news and the internet have worn us down.
The endless talk is numbing.
In a ever faster and faster society folks is "civilisation worn out" and yet the big fight to save the world from ourselves, is still to begin.
Its all been done before.
All theories have been expounded, all ethics experienced, all of the promises made before.
Only the Word of God remains reliable...and then only to those who have their focus on Jesus Christ.