I agree
The current broad sense of polarization can and does color audio discussions (and many other topics of online discourse). This most often occurs unconsciously, so self-awareness is very helpful -- in other words, paying attention to those instances when others’ words begin to trigger us disproportionately.
There is also the fact that as humans, we are all susceptible to lashing out, given the right provocation. We’re all subject to being taken over by the reptile brain. This can occur even when outward circumstances are relatively harmonious.
There are those who deride a desire for civility as weak. They regard their capacity for verbal rough and tumble as a badge of honor -- of manly toughness. They appear to enjoy sparring and don’t mind when things get nasty-- "One in every bar", as @boxcarman put it. I try to ignore them.
I have noted that on the What’s Best forums, discourse is uniformly civil. I’m not sure whether this is due to more active intervention by moderators or something else but there is, at times, a marked contrast.
In the end, it’s up to each of us to decide how we’re going to behave and what sort of climate we wish to promote. We don’t have much control over others’ behaviors.