Indeed, few are likely to be cornered, which means death or even total exclusion, depending on the degree of provocation. Very few find death, and if they do, we don't hear about it. The common man usually has alternatives that are within reach, even though he may not like them.

If I have understood you correctly, you are saying that the more one takes in the extreme positions of the media, the more hypnotised one remains. I agree.

Eckhart Tolle - although I'm not a big fan of his - called the fascination or hypnosis that relates to sensations the "pain body". This pain body likes to be paid attention to and fed new pain.

What successfully feeds the pain is not the current real situation. It is the fear that what we are afraid of will happen or has already happened.

But it is also a fact that these extremes exist and will probably continue to exist. The one extreme gives birth to the other. If every event that is declared a catastrophe were not such a hit in the media, there would be no opposing forces blowing the same horn. The one causes the other.

I once asked myself what would actually happen if there were no opposing extremists to one set of extremists? Would the whole thing then be dead? Would the extremists then no longer find an ear or an eye? What if the news were full of hysteria and people shrugged their shoulders?

Indeed, I would prefer it just like that. You can hardly allow yourself to express such a view in such a direct way today without being labelled a moral monster. I think it's a better decision not to take it seriously any more. Unfortunately, the people in my living space don't find that desirable. So my ignorance ends at my front door and I can wish as much as I want that more people would just sweep their own doors, they don't do it and like to swing their brooms in other people's rooms.

That said, I can accept that people are like that and that the diversity in which each individual reacts to events is also a blessing. Sameness and uniformity is an abstract idea that, if you fall prey to it, unfortunately, is also always up to mischief.

So yes, there is no corner. And no, there is a corner :) - depends, if you put a "for me" or "for you" into the sentence.