The way this sounds is that you are more concerned about politics as in people who take party positions and may feel excluded as a group when the majority of the community takes a different position. This is a slightly different issue i.e. party politics, and I think it is fine/a good thing, but it is also important to distinguish the two. This should essentially be under the same umbrella as personal attacks, as they are essentially the same thing.
It's more like going on a week long vacation to a tropical island and deciding not to check email/go online for the entire time.
The rest of the world will still be there when you get back, and you won't have missed anything substantive by unplugging while you were away.