Most social media sites' algorithms disproportionately push stupid and inflammatory content into newsfeeds. Ragebait, idiocy, and misinformation generate much more engagement than agreeable content does. More engagement translates into more profits for the social media company, as it means users are more likely to click on ads, etc. while arguing in comments.

For example, Facebook admitted that its content promotion algorithm "weighs" angry reactions more heavily than all others, since controversial posts keep users on the site longer than more agreeable ones do. Engineers pointed out that weighing angry reactions more could inadvertently make Facebook a vector for misinformation, conspiracy theories, and antisocial bullshit, and executives basically replied that they didn't care as long as it buffed the company's bottom line.

Society isn't nearly as divided as it seems to be online. Likewise, people aren't as stupid or extreme as social media makes it seem. Companies are systematically distorting the truth, pushing divisive and anger-inducing content while suppressing reasonable positions and gestures of solidarity, so they can manipulate you into believing that ideology is bought, not thought.