Very well said.

I'm reminded of a story my grad school advisor told me about professor from Taiwan, I think, who while participating in a technical discussion in the US, was hit by a fit of gleeful delirium as he ranted "I disagree! I disagree! I disagree!"

As my advisor told it, the guy was just giddy with being able publicly disagree and take on an idea - to directly and immediately confront an idea he disagreed with, without some face saving 40 minute kabuki dance to get the point across.

There's a divide on whether directly confronting ideas is "rude" and "insulting", and that divide occurs within societies as well. I think confronting bad ideas is a public good, but in this case, like so many others, I'm aware that I'm in the minority on the issue, even within the supposedly pro free speech, open minded, soap box for everybody US. As a practical, everyday matter, most people think it is insulting, aggressive, or rude for someone to question their ideas, or even express a contradictory viewpoint, and that feeling of grievance grows particularly when they perceive themselves to be in the majority.