The whole point of studying rhetoric is to be better equipped to participate in the democratic process. The very discipline was created out of the notion of citizen participation, despite the inclination of the early philosophers to think that the general public is too daft to adequately function in a democratic society. Though it is true that the ancient Greeks did not exist in an entirely free society, it was the first on record in the West to conceive of a function for civic discourse, a literal forum where the independent and free citizens of the city state could speak in public and persuade the masses to vote on matters of public import. There is no need for total consensus in a democratic system, in fact, 100% consensus is contrary to the very ideals of freedom. If everyone was to agree on every issue, there would be no need to vote on anything, and indeed, it is questionable that even in such a idealistic environment, that every individual would agree 100% of the time with the masses. In such an envrionment of mandatory consensus, even the independent thinker would feel the immense pressure of speaking out against the group for fear of ostracization, excommunication, or worse, prosecution and if not literal death then social death. Diversity of thought is a healthy fucntion of civic discourse. There can be no other way for there would be no need for civic discourse or a theory thereof if we all existed as automatons with the same ideals and conceptions. Lack of discourse, or diversity of thought and opinion, is mental slaverly, and it is dangerous, censorious, and against the principles of free society. Sensational headlines generated to cultivate the mob mentality, curate profits, and circumvent competition does not make a just society, but quite the opposite. A stifling of open debate and intelligent, measured argumentation creates a fearful society where people may pretend to be on the bandwagon in the public sphere for fear of ostracization or isolation, but in private they feel the burden of oppression and tyranny. When people can be canceled for differing opinions, a toxic environment is created, one of oppression, suppression, and false consensus.