Homer Simpsons Among Us

     Periodically, we're shaken by reports of outrageously primitive behavior by "normal" adults. The latest is a hate letter directed at a young boy with autism in Newcastle, Ontario. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/08/20/autistic-boy-family-receives-euthanize-letter-ontario-newscastle.html
     Uncivilized attitudes and behaviors are far more common than we realize - ask anyone who is "different" re ethnicity, color, religion, height, weight, physically or mentally challenged, poor, homeless etc etc.
     So how can "normal" people behave like reptiles? We're all born somewhere on the spectrum of human development between sociopath at one end, and saint (for want of a better word) on the other. Then, under the (favourable or otherwise) influence of parents, other environmental influences, and our own initiatives (or lack thereof), we either mature further, stay the same, or regress. To add to this complicated "work in progress", we occasionally behave "out of character."

     Egocentric / xenophobic is a very small step ahead of sociopathic behavior. I suspect these folks have a sense of their low position on the human maturation spectrum and likely feel frustrated, lack mature coping skills, and may act out by harming others (& the environment eg graffiti, vandalism, arson etc). "Individuals have been shown to use a wide variety of strategies for recovering from blows to their self-esteem, at times even stooping to ... actively sabotage" others. Molden DC, Dweck CS. Finding "meaning" in psychology: a lay theories approach to self-regulation, social perception, and social development. Am Psychol 2006; 61(3): 192-203. These members of our human family clearly need to be taught healthier attitudes / coping skills than Homer Simpson's : "I don't like him - he's different."

Homer Simpson   www.1zoom.net