It seemed that in 19th century most European people could say what they think in French, with all the elegance and wit, and thanks to this blissful opinion exchange the truth may come out, so they agree with this freshly uncovered truth, settle down and have some peace of mind.
Currently it seems that nothing comes out of opinions clash, apart the expected clash of people, variously armed. No truth is expected, because truth requires shared premises, values and some shared and indisputable knowledge that is totally outside of the opinions clash, - that's where the truth is residing, until it crawls out.
Nothing seems to be indisputable, firm and settled anymore. So there will be no truth, not even a proper argument, but an escalation of "Du choc des opinions" in a middle of ontological desert.