I want to start by saying that I generally agree with everything you’ve said. I think this tendency to conflate the most extreme faction with the whole is a ne

I want to start by saying that I generally agree with everything you’ve said. I think this tendency to conflate the most extreme faction with the whole is a new, modern problem. People have always done this to some degree, the extremism of modern media (and social media) allow for regular exposure to fringe views that would otherwise be invisible to most people. And, the effect is twofold: 1) people tend to conflate the worst part of a faction with the whole faction, and 2) having witnessed the same phenomenon on the other side, people are more ready to either ignore or integrate extremism from their own side. It is also likely that this extremism of their own side is easily ignored because they know from personal experience that it’s not representative. I think we’re living in an age where radicalism is mainstream.