In this age of the infinite and immediate self-expression of Twitter, texting, and blogging, the urge to be heard above the din of numerous other people all demanding to be heard seems to becoming greater and greater. How else to explain the outburst of Republican representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Serena Williams's unapologized-for meltdown at the U.S. Open, the tea-baggers and other disaffected citizens gathered on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, and Kanye West snatching the microphone from Taylor Swift at the MTV awards—all in under a week?

I mean, I understand the logic: Why accept the right of another person to make an argument or accept an award when you can rain on their parade, grab the headlines, and otherwise raise your profile or money, or both? Why engage in reasoned argument when neither reason nor argument matters when you can yell or rant and get on television at the same time, and extend your brand? What's the point of discipline, grace, and consideration when, well, silence is for suckers?