I feel the same way. I've been using the site for years under varous accounts and the majority of my experience posting is of getting hostile or indifferent responses. It was really bizarre to me at first because, although I write in a pretty robotic formal way, I'm never rude and always make an effort to be moderate and considered in expressing my views. Even so, Id make a post and boom it's got a downvote and a rude comment.

It took me ages to narrow down the communities where people were more considerate and positive of each other, and this is definitely one of them. Users on r/casualconversation are sometimes a little self-indulgent and don't actually want to have a back and forth (as the sub name implies they would), but that's the worst you get on here. It's lovely and showcases the potential of this website imo.

That's not to suggest that the entire site should be coddling and casual; but even when people have pretty serious disagreements here and there on this sub, they're usual handled in a pretty exemplary way.