Well, it's my own verdict, with which you're welcome to agree or disagree. But even without getting into any substantive issues from these discussions, consider this. In the past, these topics have many times led to a breakdown of rational discourse. If this no longer happens, what is the more plausible explanation: that LW has somehow suddenly and collectively figured out a way to discuss these topics rationally, or that people are simply tired of the same old unproductive clashes so that nobody even bothers to challenge the happy death spirals?

If any people think it's the former, I'd really be curious about their hypotheses on what caused this sudden change for the better.