I didn’t read it that way at all, and felt that section ring particularly true. “Joust” really just seems like another word for willing to engage in well-intentioned debate. The realization the author likely made was that the so-called “cult leaders” were not at all engaging in good faith, despite them and their followers insisting otherwise. Some really great examples of this would be Jordan Peterson or Eric Weinstein. The moment you think you can engage with these sorts in good faith is the moment you’ve fallen into their trap.