Jeff,
Most of the folks who hang here do so more for the fun or morbidity of it, and the ability to be able to say what they want to say and hear how it is said, by others. Take all the local current brouhaha for instance. Clyde pisses off some folks, and pleases others... To others, he is smack in the middle of an indifference pattern. Everyone has their own independent thought processes here, and more often than not, that can lead to discussion and disagreement. We try not ot let those things bother us, most of the time. We are not all, always, successful, but this is where you come, I think, if you have thick enough skin and your really red and black belted ego doesn't need stroking.
When you boil it all down, this forum has no really high expectations. It is known that most people are too civilized to be in here, because it is beneath them to type the "F" word. (and ya know what I mean)...
This place will, essentially, seperate the people who are highly civilized, from those who may not be quite so highly civilized... This doesn't make one better or worse than the other... Just different. It also begs the question, "Can you influence a great number of people with your writing, wit, and logic?"