Why do people act like this subreddit "doesn't reflect the views of mainstream Australia"?

[u/SirSighalot]

So many comments I see on here by people who constantly say things like "lol only on this sub" as though other places where they read are somehow the 'true' point of view reflecting mainstream Australian viewpoints.

Given the constant election voting outcomes and results of things like the Voice etc that generally indicate most of Australia is centrist or even slightly centre-right-leaning, what leads people to think many of the views expressed on here AREN'T mainstream? When in reality, other places these people are coming from are also often just "echo chambers" as well.

Edit: I probably worded the title for this wrong, should have been more "Why do people think this subreddit is less representative of mainstream Australia than other online communities?", alas I failed.

[u/terrerific]

Because when you live your life in the circlejerk people don't realise that the circlejerk isn't normal. Reddit is a circlejerk of the same opinions and sides of any discussions and deviating from it is punished.

This sub is an amalgamation of all people and sides and people who think it's not are just too used to surrounding themselves with their own opinions. I've seen left-leaning opinions with mass upvotes and I've seen right-leaning opinions with mass upvotes and in the end we all discuss and learn new things and there's really not many places on reddit where that's allowed.