Reading comments on any mainstream news site inevitably brings total loss of faith in humanity. This goes double in a country where tabloids dominate public discourse.

I think comments tend to attract certain people. The vast majority of people don't say anything so you are left with the squeaky wheels. But because when you read it it feels like a overwhelming amount of people that are seemingly very ignorant it does feel quite disheartening. I've personally limited my exposure to comment sections of most news these days.

The problem with reasonable people withdrawing from the most popular online forums is that you end up with a vicious circle of the most unreasonable people arguing with each other and influencing public opinion.

Add a real name policy to the mix and you will only retain the absolute elite of squeaky wheels.

There used to be a website dedicated to the ludicrous nature of BBC Have Your Say comments (of which these are the contemporary equivalent), but unfortunately I can't remember what it was called . They've always been ... out there. I can't deal with reading them because I can literally feel the brain cells dying off when I do.

Speak You’re Branes. Sadly even the archive is gone now.

https://pointless-letters.tumblr.com/ is probably the closest modern substitute.

Indeed, I couldn't find a boring one. So much for the famed understated-ness of the British

I think we've gradually been Americanised. I don't recognise their behaviour as British, I find it all a bit embarrassing really.