I think it is ideological as well. One worldview is individualistic, so self-defence is the only justified use of violence. The other identitarian and collectivistic, so defending your group may be a justified use of violence in that case. That coupled with "words are violence" and even "silence is violence" mean that the things that raise to the level of "justified violence" have a low bar.

Your point about bubbles is fair, but I also think it is a loss of status as they see defeat in their control of these institutions. This will be a feedback loop as more institutions fail because of the violence. I worry the violence will ramp up as a result.