The thing that makes all 3 of those places good is that the userbase is talking to each other authentically instead of writing comments to secure votes.

On the wider internet most people are writing their comments not for the person they’re actually replying to, but for the audience that will be voting on the comment. Social media has now trained people into this mindset and it has produced a rancid style of inauthentic interaction.

Even with people I fucking hate and disagree with I prefer an authentic interaction where they’re actually responding to me and having a real conversation compared to where they’re responding for a perceived audience of voters. This is now almost impossible to find online.

I will say however, the times where that hasn’t been the case here on Hexbear have been some of the most toxic experiences I’ve ever had online. When a hexbear turns bad-faith it gets really nasty.