> none of these arguments are useful if they are all phrased in terms of two absolutes. we could clearly chart a middle course between breeding as much as possible and lying down and dying.

That's also primarily an American issue. They tend to view everything through the lens of 2 political camps and "whose side are you on?".

That kind of view is completely antithetical to actually solving problems.

And makes any discussion absolutely obnoxious with the usual "if you don't agree you must be on the other side and be the enemy"

I always wonder if it's related somehow to the deep imprint that organized professional team sports, especially football, seems to have on the US psyche.

Yeah, hockey is popular here in Canada, but it's not nearly on the same level as the NFL in the US. And "college sports" etc. is not even a thing. I feel like the American mindset is ever more leaning towards framing everything in a "my team vs your team" dynamic.