I absolutely understand where you're coming from :)
But what I'd ask is this: Is using intelligence based insults (and other ableist language as you mentioned) productive? Does it allow for uniquely powerful rhetorical uses? Does it do a job better than any other insult or criticism could?
In my view, insults like these are not only less effective than criticizing people for their actual monstrous beliefs and actions, but when they're used instead it means the person isn't getting criticized for those (fundamentally bad) things.
Gonna drop a quote here from @hogposting because I think they said it better than I can
Big difference between wokescolding and: “Hey you know how we all figured out that using the r-word is pretty fucked? Maybe we should think a little about how we’re using other, less severe insults designed to communicate the exact same thing.”
Even if you’re not bought in on that, there are so many more creative, precise ways to insult someone that aren’t “ur a dum dum.”
What do you mean?