Seems like debate and people changing their minds when presented with new information is something that died around 9/11, if it ever even existed. Even the most mild vocal disagreement just further entrenches people in their feelings.
There's just no point.
As a junior middle aged (40yo) person, I can confirm with the caveat that the number of things that are considered common sense rather than completely subjective matters of opinion has changed a shitload since the turn of the millennium, with 9/11 being one of the major catalysts.
When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, outlandish conspiracy theories were rightly considered fringe lunacy and being a nazi or any other kind of fascist was a shameful thing that you had to hide to be accepted, not a resurgent movement across most North America and Europe.
Just to name two of the worst examples of thousands of ways that discourse has worsened since the "good old days" when other things were much worse.
It happens, it just never comes to a satisfying synthesis. I changed my opinion a few times after one of those big 25 reply arguments, though I never admitted to it in the moment.
It's always been a thing to not really want to admit you're wrong. Half of debate is just realizing you're not ever going to change your opponent's mind real-time. Ego gets in the way way too hard, particularly on a public platform. Debating on a public platform is more to try to convince people in the audience that are more moderate.
Sometimes, your good argument can also actually change the other person's mind, even slightly, but you'll probably never SEE it. That doesn't mean it's pointless, just that if you're expecting to get something out of the act of debating, it has to be something other than changing your oppo mind.
Any political idea that differs from someone else's seems to get you these labels. They really don't like it when you straight up tell them you are not going to continue the dialogue and call you one of these two things to get the last word.