I have been trying on Lemmy for months. They purposefully and willfully misunderstand all centrists / independents and for some reason feel they are all secretly right wing.

It's the current state of US politics - the straw man they've built in their head that has all the wrong opinions has the same label that they've slapped on you, and labels are all that matters to them.

Most are not here to engage, think, and expand their worldview. They are here to push the "fuck you" button that gives them a dopamine hit by punishing you for having the wrong label.

But once in a while you'll talk to someone who treats you like a real person, and it's kind of wonderful.