I think having discussions with people with a variety of viewpoints can be challenging and rewarding, even when you strongly disagree with one or more of those involved in the discussion. But I think there sometimes comes a point when the whole thing becomes way too personal. I think when that happens, you just need to force yourself to walk away. I'm giving that advice, but I'll admit it's very hard for me to do that sometimes.
I started posting in the current events forum because I was genuinely interested in understanding the viewpoints of Conservative Americans. They've shaped so much of what has happened in the world the last ten years, and yet their views and political actions sometimes seemed completely unintelligible and quite dreadful to me.
On occasion there actually has been some clarification of the background and reasoning behind conservative views here in the BM discussions, and though I did not agree with the views at least it gave me insight in the arguments and what the thinking is. Actual lucidly stated reasons that did not just revolve around
"the opposition is a bunch of morons nyah-nyah".But by and large it has been nothing but name-calling, mocking, spite and ridicule of the "liberals" (who by European standards are positively ultra-conservative in many respects). I haven't gotten much wiser but I sure have gotten more disillusioned about how far people are willing to go and what they will let themselves say and do to "defend" viewpoints that to me in many cases come across as inhumane, prejudiced, nationalistic and sometimes downright dangerous. And as incomprehensible as ever.