Social
We've all heard it's not polite to discuss politics or religion. If you're trying to avoid conflict, (and it's generally a good thing in polite conversation,) it makes sense. People have very strong opinions on those subjects, and despite what you hear about the modern trend of political polarization in America, this is nothing new. People have always been passionate about the subject, and some have started arguments, riots, or wars over political opinion all through history. The same goes for matters of religion. Why do you think we developed that rule for polite conversation? The problem is not that people have become more extreme about their positions but that we have become more aware of others' positions. Without our social media tableaux of opinion, we might blithely go about assuming that our friends, neighbours, or even family must think the way we do. Because the rules of social media etiquette are less solid than those of conventional small talk a