It is because no one wants to discuss such things sensibly. It used to be a good place for conversations. For that matter so did the science forums. But members come and members go and thus forums peak, then fade again.
I think in the main it was all with good humour, Rowan. It was rarely malicious - at least from the rergulars. Very few fell out never to encounter one another in 'battle' again. It's where the notion of custard pie throwing came from - and my avatar.