> My un-provable suspicion is that civil discourse itself is being targeted by nefarious forces.

I don't know if it's a collective of forces, but I have to agree with the opinion that civil discourse is being targeted.

There's been enormous political polarization in the past decade or less, and there is a growing list of topics or social movements that if I even LIST as debatable or in need of further discussion, would put myself in great danger of being targeted, defamed or worse.

And the worst part is, once you have been attacked and mobbed by this new public shaming tactic, very very rarely is being defensive or opening a dialogue something people want, they just want vengeance, and submissiveness.