Sad to discover that Liberals have the exact same knee-jerk reactions to Conservatives as Conservatives have to Liberals. For me it is a sad revelation. Did you always know it?

No.  You got it wrong.

We have reason.  They don't have a clue. 

Knee jerk reactions to opposing political views are entirely non-partisan. It takes a certain amount of self-discipline, self-awareness, empathy, and charity to really engage with someone you don't agree with. It falls under the umbrella of in-group bias, and every person is susceptible to it.