the ableist concepts of people being "stupid" and/or "insane" are SO useful for preserving the status quo. the "Madman" is a pillar on which all of this (gestures vaguely at the world) stands.
A white man attacks a group of minorities. He's a madman. that is an answer that satisfies the question of why someone would do that, so his connections to alt-right groups, and how he ended up there, don't surface.
A person practices a minority religion. They're insane. they must be having delusions. religions that oppose the "common sense" of being Christian (usually christian) are never given the time of day.
A person is socialist. clearly they don't know what they're talking about. Theyre stupid. there is no evidence they're right, don't look for it. do not research this topic, do not look for evidence.
A flat-earther makes headlines or goes viral. Another madman. Do not think about why someone would be flat-earth ... that conspiracy theories provide an explanation for why things are so fucked up without jeopardizing fundamental aspects of that person's worldview. a poor white man does not feel privileged, so ideas of white or male privilege feel incongruent or even disenfranchising ... so an alternative theory is embraced.
A person is GNC, queer, trans, nonbinary. They must be insane or brainwashed or stupid to oppose the fact of the sexgender binary. oh they have a PhD in biology? must be getting bribes then.
do not accept the Madman status, stupidity, and/or insanity as an explanation. these are obfuscating terms couched in deeply entrenched ableism.
