Hi Alexandra! Thought provoking article. So that’s a formal style of debating. The idea is to focus on the argument while referring to the advocate impersonally and courteously. This is to reduce the risk of falling into ad hominem attacks or even physical altercation, which is a real risk for in-person debates. US parliamentary rules to refer other members by their constituency rather than their name is another example of this. To the post-social media era of familiarity it sounds overly stiff and a bit dated, undoubtedly. I think it’s also a reasonable concern to think that some adopt this tone intentionally to make the opposing point of view seem less erudite than their own, but I don’t think one should assume that’s always the case--the person may just be trying to make their case as objectively as they can. Hope that was helpful, as intended!