"But there are a remarkable number of sites where the "other side" figures prominently in the discussions. For LOTS of people on the Net, interacting with, or shooting down, the opposition is much more fun than simply engaging in political self-abuse. I certainly think so, and it's obvious almost everyone else here does too. Otherwise Bowser would hang out at Democraticunderground.com, and I'd be at some LeftistsSuck.com website. But we're not, are we? And neither are a large number of other active minds. I don't post to the conservative-only sites. I follow up any news I find there to the source when I can."

Yes, this is the point Robert misses. I believe that disagreement is a more driving force than he realizes. Another point he misses is that when news is edited- diversity is tamed and weeded out. This affect also amplfied over time. And on the net, the editing is not done by one person or a group of like minded people- behind close doors. What wrong with peering over the shoulders of the editors and be in the middle of the process instead of being being fed only the end product.