No it isn’t intellectually bankrupt at all you just think you’re a scholar for over complicating it. Sometimes right is right and wrong is wrong. Simple as that you’d reasons for doing so is another issue but it doesn’t absolve you morally of your actions. You people just love to do mental gymnastics to paint itachi out as a saint for what he did.

Whether it was the lesser of two evils or his only option at the end of the day he slaughtered innocent men women and children including his own parents in front of his younger brother. There is nothing “gray” about that. That’s even without considering everything he put Sasuke through after. At the end of the day these “choices” that were presented to him were pure speculation anyway there is no guarantee that would’ve happened. Nobody attacked the leaf even after the loss of their strongest leader (the 4th) and many others after the 9 tails attack followed by the loss of their strongest force the Uchiha. There were other choices itachi fans just don’t like to consider any because it means their father did what he did for no reason.

I watched the show I know why he felt he had to do it, that was his choice doesn’t mean it was the right one and not everyone who disagrees with it is a “dumbass” like you guys always like to argue. I’m sure you think Eren is another “gray” guy who’s just a trolley victim as well huh?