I think the Brits are a pugilistic nation that's borne out by history. Confrontation is almost in our genes, hence we have adversarial politics.
Look at our parliament - look at the layout of the Commons, designed so that people couldn't stab each other across the aisle. Designed to face the enemy. Listen to them carrying-on during PMQ's.... Is this how other Parliaments behave?
We then have a predominantly Right Wing and sensationalist press that simply amplifies whatever it needs out of Westminster to sell its wares and Westminster delivers in spades. The press then stoke the fires a little more and their virtuous cycle continues
Then the system of election - fptp is a broken system, it does not deliver democracy or representation, it disenfranchises the people, it produces inequality in the parliament removing the checks and balances that would create better outcomes. Disenfranchisement creates divisions, frustration, and anger.
This leads to the situation we have today, 11 years of an increasingly incompetent but powerful government with an unrepresentative vote share being able to operate their chumocracy whilst taxing the poor, their vile immigration policies, reneging on International deals and law, re-arrangement of borders to increase their votes, a leveling-up agenda which is smoke-and-mirrors for vote buying, two-faced stance over the environment and climate-change erosion of two of the nations great institutes (BBC and NHS) yadd yadda yadda.
A party that is led by blatant liars and a PM whose language, thoughts and actions are not those of somebody who should be leading the country. Nobody is able to hold these people to account. People turn to 'Issue' based actions to have a voice and become deeply entrenched leading to greater division and anger. Brexit being a case in point
All of these things impact the way we behave and engage with each other. The language and behaviors in NACA reflect the divisions in society.
@Pale Rider accused me of hypocrisy over my opening stance in the following thread, an accusation I haven't denied, as a nobody on the Internet I could do better, I would like to do better ;
https://ncap.cyclechat.net/threads/tory-mp-stabbed.62/post-2940
PR thinks the rot starts at the bottom, I disagree, I believe it comes from the top, from those supposedly 'leading', those in the public view, those in which we put our (oft misplaced) trust, those that have a voice, those that are in positions of influence.
Politics is a nasty place at the moment. The UK is a nasty place at the moment. We are a very divided nation in so, so many ways.
If the language of politics and debate is to change we need leadership that works on bringing people closer together, that addresses the needs of people of all political persuasions. That leads by a better moral example, that heals divisions and lets people voices be heard and acted upon. Less division = Less anger = better language/interactions
Proportional representation is a must
Relocate the Government out of London (say Stoke on Trent) to a purpose-designed parliament building fit for purpose and the modern age. Design it for consensual debate rather than adversarial
Remove the 'Whip' function from parties
Improve the accountability of politicians, allow liars and blatant lying to be called-out in the house
Greater regional devolvement of powers
The press/news media need to prevent obfuscation by politicians along with greater promotion of fact-checking
Greater equality
Better Education