Rational Violence

The use of “rationality” as a cudgel to enforce conformity to a particular worldview, dismissing any alternative as emotional, irrational, or insane. Rational violence operates by defining the speaker’s own position as the default “rational” stance and then pathologizing disagreement. It often appears in debates about politics, religion, or ethics, where one side claims that “any rational person would agree” with them. The violence is in the foreclosure of dialogue: by claiming the mantle of reason, the perpetrator positions opponents as not just wrong but unreasonable, unworthy of serious engagement.

Example: “He called her opposition to the war ‘emotional’ and claimed his own support was ‘rational cost‑benefit analysis’—rational violence, using the label of reason to silence moral dissent.”

Rational Violence by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal April 15, 2026