Absolutely. I'm not even American and see the same patterns in the discourse of my own country. And just as you are saying the best one can do is to engage in your local society. It will be what affects your daily life the most, while also being what you'd be most likely to change for the better.

Pretty much in the same boat as you. The problem is that if the two different sides can't actually engage in any sort of discussion in good faith there will always be echo chambers in different formats, even on the same platform.

After having finished Dr Zhivago a few days ago I'm now reading an Ibsen play called ghosts.