There is an idea of "God-shaped hole" that is an urge to have a belief in something transcendent or greater than oneself. As the organized religion is in declin

There is an idea of "God-shaped hole" that is an urge to have a belief in something transcendent or greater than oneself. As the organized religion is in decline, politics or activism seem to become a substitute that provides belief, sense of community, and a vision for improving the world. This also explains why there is so little rational discussion across the divide of the political spectrum in the US. The same political views can come from observations and reasoning, or they can be ingrained as a belief and be a part of one's [group] identity. In the former case a rational discussion is possible. In the latter case it turns into a challenge of one's personal integrity and devolves into a fight of the righteous against the heretical other side.