"Everything is trolling and bashing these days. Nobody is allowed to dissent."

Trolling, bashing, stalking, it really does depend on the POV and whose ox is beign gored does it not? We all have our opinions as to what is out of line so I see a reasonable amount of PC as erring on the side of caution if not politeness. Some see that as an insufferable constraint on their freedom of speech, but again, opinions will differ. I agree with Netherworks that these threads, no matter how innocent or well intended seem to almost always devolve and one or two hyper-partisans end up throwing bombs just to see how fast they can clear the room. That may not be fair or right but it is what it is as they say and unfortunately, as you point out it seems to be the nature of this medium, and increasingly society in general that any issue becomes a blood feud for a minority who, yeah, I do have to question their stability. Sorry, that's just the way I see it. DAZ or SM et al hasn't killed anyone that I'm aware of. They haven't even helped the gov't. spy on anyone AFAIK. There's a difference between strong opinion, or even 'artist's 'passion,' and just plain OC wierdness. Again, it's in the eye of the beholder but as the Justice said, I know it when I see it :-)

NB. this thread hasn't reached that point yet, give it a time.  

 

"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." - H. L. Mencken