Jeremy Stangroom

Curiously, this sort of response is structurally identical to right-wing denials that social deprivation might be a causal factor in crime. https://twitter.com/GodDoesnt/status/915751113659383808 …

"Poverty can't be a causal factor explaining crime because the vast majority of people who live in poverty don't commit crimes."

It's a stupid argument, of course. Exposure to the sun can't be causal factor for melanoma, because the vast majority of sunbathers... etc;

Part of the problem is people think in terms of causes rather than causal factors. Mental illness can (obviously) be a causal factor...

explaining a horrible crime. But it's never going to be the whole story. Mental illness exists in a particular socio-cultural context.

It's entirely consistent - & plausible? - to suppose that mass killings might be a manifestation of "toxic masculinity" & mental illness.