It's not just civil discourse, but the lack of rational argument that's been killed. I've had polite debates with liberals, who seem just fine with illogical, nonsensical ideas that are impossible to implement. They are convinced they are intrinsically right-minded, and anyone who has a different view is simply wrong and mentally ill.

Liberals also seem to think they are the only ones in charge of "facts." A logical thinker immediately discounts any argument that begins with "Everyone thinks (believes, does, is in favor of, etc.) . . ." as they know "everyone" is never in agreement, and discounts the statement as fiction. Liberals have no trouble using such declarations, supposing them to be unchallengeable evidence of the truth of their argument.

Another phrase, borrowed from the Communist lexicon, is "the people." Supposedly if they throw in a declaration that their position is for, by, or from "the people" it is indisputable. The use I most often hear is "the people want socialism, because what we have isn't working."

Truly frightening.

There is a global push for anti-freedom dependence (socialism, communism, islam, etc). In the US, for me personally, there is little, if anything to debate. I don't need to hear about the virtual of socialism or communism or how islam is just another religion competing for followers. I don't need to talk to someone who says they are a democrat to already know exactly what their national and world view is (and to know they will go rabid and shout me down 9 times out of 10 is my points make more sense than theirs).

Frankly MY desire to debate is gone because those with opposing views I no longer consider to be American, America-centric or Constitutionally motivated..

My debate stands ready with a bat or s shotgun for when todays brown shirts come. The time for talk has all but passed.I fear that this country will erupt in bloodshed before things correct or damn themselves.

I'm glad I'm on the downward slope.

Indeed ... the joy of conversation in the context of competing ideas has been tossed out the window. My set of family, friends and acquaintances with whom I can share conversation has dropped significantly. This has caused me to become even more a stoic and hermit. I now have more in common with a few on-line individuals than I do with members of my family and some long-time friends. And when I say "in common" I mean those people that are willing and able to have a dialog that explores areas that may expose contradictions in thinking -- both theirs and mine. Of course, there are no contradictions -- check your premise, right? In some of these dialogs I will close with the observation "I need to think about this some more ... let's get back together again next week." I enjoy thinking. I like to reach conclusions in a reasoned manner. As a recently retired 30-year software engineer, I am deeply familiar with logical processes ... mathematics ... and how to connect the dots. When I expose the fraudulent mathematics of statism (socialism, communism, collectivism of any kind), those who carry the torch for statism will do so to their graves. It takes little research to illuminate the source of their beliefs: a dependency on the state, an unwillingness to be held accountable for their prior misdeeds that ushered in their dependency, an incapacity to see the merit of responsibility for their own future. The state is punching their ticket and they would like to keep it that way.

The public school system is to blame. It is beyond reformation. (see Martin Luther). Let's simply abolish it.

I will find out how far public discourse has gone the rat hole when my wife and I will attend a neighborhood Christmas Party. Last year when we went to the party a lot of the neighbors were discussing politics and their hatred of Trump. So, I decided that this year I'll let my inner Revolutionary come out and see what happens.

I pretty much gave up trying a few years ago. Almost anyone one speaks with has already made up their "mind" and closes off their attention to anything other than full agreement with their concrete pov.

In the 90s I remember lurid tabloid headlines at the grocery store, written to be morbidly fascinating. I remember people handing out conspiracy theory zines. Everyone knew it was crap.

But now technology had given us the ability to see exactly which type of train wrecks truly demand our attention. It's given everyone the ability to have a printing press almost for free. So mainstream news outlets have to run more sensationalism. We used to blame them for not having higher standards. Now I feel like I have to blame myself, at least to the extent I read and interact with lurid stories.

I wonder if we're in a period of adjustment, where we're still learning to use tools to filter out the tabloid garbage.

I think it's true that democratization of the media has brought us a lot of crap content, but the other side of the coin is those tools can bring us meaningful content. I'm not sure how it will happen, but people will have to develop new ways to look away from the train wrecks and empty calories.

Yes, it is.

Tuning to channels overseas, it is not only in the US. It is global.

I blame the uncivilized, radical left that consciously worked on alienating people for decades.

"But it was also recognized to have a utility: people — including politicians — needed to try out thoughts and ideas. "

I beg to differ: it never had utility. It had a purpose: keeping those in power. It failed because people realized the motive behind it. It is still practiced as politician promise things and some people are still gullible enough to believe it, or simply want to have their guy in power while being aware that he is a phony. Which is saying a lot about the present state of affairs.