Emotionalism - the new chic

In my post about the first episode of the new PBS series "Masterpiece Mystery", "Inspector Lewis", I made the following speculation:

Now this might be a great leap in my reasoning here, but I do wonder if Lewis's decision does not reflect the new British ethos, the one we have seen oozing out of the tight seams of British iron control over their emotions (in itself something of a myth, but still..) ever since Princess Diana's death. Away with the stiff-upper-lip tradition, the "fair play" principle. Emotions take over the phenomenal coldness and restraint of the British people. And emotions are expressed in raw justice, that is, revenge as an acceptable and legitimate response to injustice inflicted upon you.

Today, I came across this post by Martin in the Margins which speaks to the same phenomenon:

But I think it's also a symptom of the increasing emotionalisation of everyday life (other signs include roadside shrines, crowds weeping at funerals of dead royals). One Scottish parent quoted in the piece says 'I am not sure where the hysteria starts, but when it does it spreads very easily and it is difficult to stop.'

The post goes on to explore the presence of homophobia in the classroom. That the two issues, extreme emotionalism and prejudice are somehow connected is the reason why I find Inspector Lewis's moral choice so disturbing. It speaks of a deeper kind of transformation. Societies that surrender too willingly to romanticism and a rawer type of emotional self-indulgence are insecure and therefore in grave danger of becoming ever more intolerant. Prejudice is directly affiliated with subjective feelings and disinclination for self-examination or critical thinking.