What do you think the appeal of burning women as witches was?

Humans always like blaming someone for everything bad that happens. Why not blame it on those that had no rights or could defend themselves at all. If she floats she is a witch. If she drowns she is with the loving God who watched and approved of this whole thing to begin with.

We are drawn towards narratives that demonise others and explain what is wrong with our world. It starts small and in the end we believe they should be eradicated or destroyed, then the danger will pass. It's never very evidence-based, but for those on the inside it seems to fit the narrative.

Today it's muslims, leftists, antifa, conspirators, right wing extremists, feminists... (fill in the gap).

People were dumb and overly superstitious and blamed random women for shit the rest was simply for entertainment people liked public executions/serving justice etc.

All of this stuff still happens today in the world

Fox News hadn't been invented at that point. They had to improvise their own entertainment.

Sadists using some witch bullshit to torture women?

Mass hysteria, and it still occurs today.

The smell of long bacon

Forgot to filter the water, everyone went crazy