One thing that turns people off about politicians...

Listening to 'experts' and politicians defending their positions on Radio 4's Today program is a case study in what good communication isn't. These professional opinion makers have chugged along into the studio to toe the party line or defend their viewpoint or in some cases justify their jobs. The format is usually two parties of opposing views in the studio, so we may get say, a eurosceptic UKIP member versus a euro-apologist of one stripe or another going head-to-head, neither of which has any intention of actually listening to the other side.

This is the prevalent pattern of what is called 'discussion' or debate in the media and we see it everywhere. Someone has a position to defend that they identify with. The exchanges soon deteriorate into prepared arguments, both sides come out of it sounding boorish, arrogant, blinkered and pushy.The public shake their heads and say they can't trust politicians.

What would it actually be like, for example if on one of these media debates, they actually listened to each other and considered changing their minds? Unlikely to happen of course, because in most cases their jobs depend on taking up a particular position. Is this a kind of corruption?