Reading this, all I can think is that you are just asking for everyone to spare your feelings while insisting you shouldn't put in the effort to spare anyone else's.
> we have a mechanism for people who are truly assholes - be tolerant and ignore them.
Why does the GP feel they can convey their criticisms to other parties as callously as they please, but reject that anyone should respond to them negatively?
I didn't say reject people that respond to them negatively. You're more than welcome to criticize the criticizers with a counter argument. That's healthy debate. What you missed is the main thrust of my argument regarding the "Like" button you see on social media and gamification of an otherwise normal intellectual discourse. It brews mediocrity.
The phrase that sticks out to me is “right-to-be-offended is rampant”. Because people do have that right — and complaining about them exercising it sure makes it sound like you’d like to express your opinions without worrying about others responding in kind.