If I were interested in honest debate I’d go to a university panel discussion and ask questions.

No anonymity, credentials that are subject to scrutiny (while there are blusterers and con artists everywhere, it’s so much easier to do that on the Internet that it’s hardly worth noting), interaction with people in realtime whose opinions are likely very well informed, and it’s explicitly set in a learning environment.

On the Internet, people have long since figured out that you don’t “win” a debate by racking up enough points or learning something: you win by convincing the nonspeaking lurkers that you’re right, or funny, but you REALLY win by being memorable. So the majority of the coy “oh but my dear, am I not just a humble vaguely defined X with unspoken but assuredly (and unfairly) hated opinions who longs for an honest discussion” does not actually want a discussion: they want to tie their opponents up in knots and make them look buttmad so they can slither off to the next “debate”.

Maybe you’re different. But I have a hard time trusting that when you use the same format I’ve seen over and over again.