It’s more like, “they are operating off of misinformation to which their behavior is a reasonable response”. They are being misdirected so that they choose to use their agency to do this shitty thing, because their misunderstanding makes it look like a good thing.
It does feel like letting them off the hook, but punishment doesn’t create allies. This way of approaching it creates a very real possibility of them switching sides, and doing so genuinely.
“They can’t help it, only the 1% have agency” isn’t going to ring true with anyone who’s actually been assaulted for using the ‘wrong’ bathroom.
“Puppet” creates exactly this misunderstanding.
It’s more like, “they are operating off of misinformation to which their behavior is a reasonable response”. They are being misdirected so that they choose to use their agency to do this shitty thing, because their misunderstanding makes it look like a good thing.
It does feel like letting them off the hook, but punishment doesn’t create allies. This way of approaching it creates a very real possibility of them switching sides, and doing so genuinely.