Yes, that’s a good point. The nonsensical arguments meant to consume energy were a master stroke against actual discourse online and in person. Unfortunately it has had the desired effect, and many of us aren’t engaging in discourse with like-minded people about things we mostly agree on. The right has done such a good job of making every point contentious that any statement against the commonly accepted group think is treated as an outsider trying to sow discord. I see it all the time online, and I’m sure you’ve seen it too, where someone who is very liberal gets jumped all over and accused of being a trumper, or a racist, or a homophobe, or whatever, just because they have their own unique perspective of an argument that they’ve obviously put time and thought into. I’ve even encountered it with close personal friends when discussing new radical evaluations of old conceptions. We’re in a rough spot as a society right now. We just might be on a deadline if we can’t figure out how to talk to each other again.