Exactly, that nails it. The question then is this: Since it was possible in the past to disagree with someone's idea and still generally "agree" with them, can we somehow get back to that way of living?

This "thing" also reminds me of an experiment gone wrong. In an effort to accomplish something - like making a candidate looking really bad for an election - we've unleased the Kracken (falsehoods and black PR) and now can't get the damn thing back behind the gate again. Now every counter argument begins with a fist to the face.

Just not very civil for a so-called civilization. 🤔😒