No, he's referring to a time when people weren't antagonistic and tribal at work, just like he said.

From the tone of your comment, you seem incredulous that such a time actually existed. It did.

There have always been people who are antagonistic and tribal at work. What’re you talking about? Where do asshole bosses and kiss-ass tropes come from if not precisely this?

Yes, but the antagonism used to be about work.

Not everything else.

No? There’s still workplaces that will have a random racist antagonizing an employee of color or some perceived woman-with-dyed hair will get shit for being assumed a liberal. Stuff like this was common and still hapens.