I suspect that what happens is that folks like me tend to get very tired. I'm happy to have good faith discussions all day, but in places like HN it can be difficult to maintain a conversation with all the anger directed at me.

Inevitably, patience wears thin and comments get more bitter, and the polarization continues.

I'm sure the reverse happens for folks who disagree with me. They get tired of everyone just assuming they are a bigot, and start just assuming that's what's coming from the other side.

I wish there were more forums to have small, moderated chats where anyone who makes sweeping generalizations about their opponents ("you lefties always..." "All your right wingers...") were clipped out.