You clearly don't remember the 'smoking causes cancer' debate - yes, there was a debate and it was hotly contested, and it was very emotionally charged. It played out similarly to the topic of climate change has so far. There has never been an era of reasonable public discussion and consensus building.
Sure but I would like to think the debates occurred and happened people argued back and forth and ultimately convinced the other side.
But what we have now is basically “you are wrong you have no say”
When you shut people out like that and they feel like they are not being heard you end up more divided and against each other. Which is basically what’s happening now in many topics.
Perhaps. I see what you are getting at. I’d suggest that there’s been an erosion of intelligent debate in general and what we see is just what’s left behind rather than something new. Complexity is not tolerated any more.
If that's cancel culture, then it's nothing new.