I'll repeat now what I said then, that I do not disagree entirely with what you say, I just do not assign the same significance or influence to it that you do, and that I feel it is on the whole, a positive phenomenon. I also agree with you that it can be pushed too far, as can the reaction to it.

In my opinion, this schism in American political attitudes owes its origin to the civil rights movement and the divisions that it exposed in American society. I believe the issues which gave birth to this division are no longer significant, I do not personally subscribe to the notion that conservatives are necessarily racist, or liberals necessarily free from racism. But the origins of the split can be traced to that period in our history. Vietnam and Watergate further drove a wedge, along with the the whole 60s counter-culture phenomenon. I believe I recall SDAI, in one of his moments of lucidity, once remarking that it can be traced even further back, to the Beat poets of the 50s. Perhaps he's right.

Whether you agree or disagree with the current Zeitgiest, it must be conceded that ideas can have a profound effect on the times, and can provoke unexpected social change. This is my primary interest, a purely sociological one, and this is why I was interested in your take on it. Thanks for the insights.