It's a serious philosophical issue. Why undercut the seriousness with snarkiness?

In the August 16, 2016 issue of The New York Times, Doreen Carvajal writes about the trend in French (and other) museums to have their conservators work in public (“Museum Showtime: Watching Varnish Dry”). She notes the reasons why museums like this trend (increased publicity and funding, more transparency about what goes on in conservation studios) and the reasons why some conservators do not like it (lack of concentration and quiet , being watched all the time). However, this well balanced discussion of the topic is marred by opening paragraphs containing lines like : “it’s show time” , “all to watch varnish dry”, and “they swipe away”. This is a serious philosophical issue. Why undercut the seriousness with snarkiness?