Reactive attachment disorders, from perceived abuse or neglect in infancy or early childhood sometimes, but not always, creates sociopaths. Of course, not all sociopaths would push someone into traffic, but some would.
@Emma Smith We should use caution when using the terms moral and immoral, as they are interpreted in different cultures in differing ways. The Ayatollah Khomeini, for example, demanded offenders of some kinds have their hands severed: our morality would not allow that. Frank
@Ken Anderson A seemingly sensible statement, yet I can think of very many aspects of legal systems where morality plays no part at all, IMO. Frank
@Frank Sanoica : We should use caution when using the terms moral and immoral, as they are interpreted in different cultures in differing ways. The Ayatollah Khomeini, for example, demanded offenders of some kinds have their hands severed: our morality would not allow that. The definition is from an American dictionary. Laws can be very immoral. Severing someone's hand is a good example of that.
@Emma Smith Very true. And that's just my point: immoral to OUR way of thinking, in our culture, but not to that of Iran, where all immoral acts are believed to be the work of God. Frank
@Frank Sanoica: Very true. And that's just my point: immoral to OUR way of thinking, in our culture, but not to that of Iran, where all immoral acts are believed to be the work of God. Do you have a source that states that?
Recent past dealings between U.S. and Iran have revisited that era when virtual lawlessness in Iran was rampant: 1979. I've learned much, as well as had my memory of that time refreshed, by James Clavell's giant effort, "Whirlwind". I've reached nearly page 900, with over 500 to go! The historical span of the book covers only 24 days, in 1979. It took awhile, never one to stick with long books, but this one has whetted my interest to a keen edge. In perspective, huge oilfields in Iran were run mainly by British companies, servicing the fields by a fleet of helicopters, mainly, and some fixed-wing planes. Very few American present, some other Europeans, many French. A consortium was entered into by Japanese interests, British, and French, to maintain orderly and continued petroleum production. Good luck with that, given the turmoil and unrest everywhere present throughout the country. I've learned that the entire workings of the Iranian culture hinges around "pishkesh", which loosely defines as bribery. Everywhere, everyone, in all walks of life, from lowest to highest political officials, engages in this bribery one way or another. It is believed to be driven by "will of God". A successful bribe of an official, for example, will have been dictated by God, if it is all "above-board", and such activity is often employed to ensure one's personal safety from one of the many factions constantly killing each other in the name of God. Searching for definitions, I found one site which particularly illuminates "pishkesh" : "The act of giving has not been an incidental, but rather a structural, institutionalized element of Persian society and polity that was based on patronage. Whereas as a social custom gifts served to solidify reciprocal social relationships and obligations, in the area of politics it was an asymmetric structural principle to redistribute or acquire wealth and protection, to underscore loyalties, and, what is more, to confirm the nature and the existence of the pecking order. Because the socio-political hierarchy was based on reciprocity and personal transactions, the judicious distribution of gifts was a natural instrument within this value system to serve as a reward for services rendered or gifts received, as well as an expression of the continued appreciation and the sustained confirmation of the system. Therefore, this habit of gift giving was part of the fabric of Persian life and held for all classes and ranks or social and ethnic groups....." See: http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/gift-giving-v Reading between their lines, it is apparent, at least to me, that they are being very polite, calling it "giving"; clearly, it is bribery, a surprising facet to be found deeply ingrained in a National Culture. Frank