"I think people have become far less tolerant, hiding behind their fake IDs".

Exactly, if you're talking face to face you have to shut up and listen as well as talk.  By listening, you have to take in other views, even if only to formulate your reply in disagreement.  That's not necessary when talking to a screen.

All too often, from what I see on Yahoo comments about "News-worthy" topics all you get is a series of knee-jerk reactions to a sensational headline.  Followed by two line comments on the previous comments.  Everything is trivialised and superficial, debate is becoming a lost art, replaced by each individual stating their immediate reaction but taking in nothing from the other participants.

When I first started reading them I left a few comments but soon stopped, realising that no-one would be swayed by my opinion.  No-one wanted to be, by the next day they would have moved on to the next "Hot Topic" and forgotten that they had even had an opinion on yesterdays headline.

It certainly suits the powers-that-be that things stay that way.