Can you expand on those darker parts? I never heard of hug boxes before you've mentioned it. Links to the articles alone would be fine.

Watch this TED talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles?language=en

The problem comes into play when you are surrounded by people and ideas that enforce your world view. There is a reason religious cults practice segregation and demonize the outside world. Liberals who do nothing but read and interact with other liberals, to use an example, reinforce the good parts of being a liberal, and then also reinforce the idea of "Anyone who does not think like I do is s stupid redneck who hates women and wants to pave the earth." same thing with any ideology that can become an Identity. then, when someone comes along and says "oh that is not correct" and tried to counter you with facts, you dig down and believe your worldview even more.

The Backfire Effect is real, I've watched it in action, and I have been guilty of it myself. Start talking about cutting NASA, R&D, and educational funding and I have to fight my gut reflex to call you a dumbass, take a breath and read what you are saying before I can react to it.

That seems wrong, don't it? But Humans are not rational creatures. We had to invent the scientific method as a way of processing data to take our biases out of the observable universe and to prevent our ingrained ideology from contaminating what is really going on outside out heads. A conservative should read at least one liberal paper, web site, blog etc., if for no other reason than to know what the other side is saying. A christian should read atheist/Buddhist/Shinto philosophy to see how close some of what they are saying is to Christianity. Listening to the contrary view can help you better understand YOUR reactions to the world, see the problem through someone else to get a bit of perspective and, when you are ready to debate you know the talking points the other guy is going to use and can counter them.

The final thing to think about is that humanity grows when it faces a challenge. We as individuals grow and become better people when we see difficult situations and learn to deal with them.