@admitsWrongIfProven
"Cannons at work in our country!"
Employers have the authority to dismiss, which forms a decent "cannon" to force compliance. With the authority to dismiss, employers have the authority to form corporate policy. Employers also face various laws and ordinances: comply, or your business will be fined or potentially shut down by force.
But as an example of "a good consensus", that does happen in the work place among task groups delegated to resolve certain issues and problems that come up. How can we increase production? How can we decrease waste? How can we have a workplace that encourages employee retention? Those are problem solving issues that usually are not policy. On those types of issues, consensus by the working group tasked to resolve the problem is usually the best way forward, or at least provides management with leads on resolution.
All the above is devoid of political (governing authority) considerations. Governance is a separate beast that requires the consent of the governed. If "consensus" (and thus consent) is not apparent, then consent must be manufactured. Noam Chomsky wrote on this, for which there are many videos about it. I found https://youtu.be/34LGPIXvU5M to be useful on the topic of "Manufactured Consent."
As to "better understanding of others who think similarly," there are instances in which I do make that genuine attempt and grow in my understanding because of it. Twitter, as such, has been useful for me.
For example, I had wondered, "What's the big deal in the American Black Community concerning authority in general and the police specifically?" Then I encounter threads like ... I'm not finding the thread I saw last night, but the ongoing abuse of minorities... Yeah, I've had far too much education on exactly why, and so I've changed my mind. Racist policies are "by consent." I do not give my consent. As far as "understanding," I need only ask my dad about his grievances. He now has five grandchildren of African American descent. To keep the peace, we do have things we do not discuss. "President Trump is the Greatest President since... well, the greatest in *MY* lifetime!" We don't discuss that either. I *DO*, in fact, judge, and YES, in fact, it's exhausting.
Concerning Libertarians, as far as I can see with interaction with them on Twitter, and on the whole, they are bonkers. Many look forward to a civil war within the US with delusions of adequacy and a fig leaf of being "preppers" with guns. I shall not forgive the GOP, and I will not forgive the current LP for pandering to QAnon fantasies. If I'm to vote at all, it will have to be Democratic Party. Scratch voting is still very much an option on the table. It's a question of how hard the Democrats are going to convince me they don't need or want my vote. Again.
@freemo