I don't just mean outrage or regular rage, I mean shock that someone was to the left of "legal weed and free college but only for those that operate a successful business for 3 years in a disadvantaged community" 
takes.
I think federating took them by surprise, looking back. For about a week, those smug liberals were at a loss to even fathom what Hexbears were saying, and could only chant bullshit about how we're Russian/Chinese bots.
Sure they still do that but they've slightly adapted to Hexbear presence.
I agree. I wouldn't try to take the dunk culture out of Hexbear, and many people deserve to be dunked on, but sometimes if they don't seem like a lost cause you gotta just teach them what you can and then leave them something to think on that they can hopefully look back on positively.
On the other hand I have a lot of sympathy for people who do try to have a good faith discussion and then after a dozen thousand word comments the lib just goes "don't know why I bothered obviously none of you know how government works"