Could a better understanding of temperament ultimately reduce crime rates?
Only if the family is willing to socialize. We say to a pair of parents who we have learned are not gonna be effective socializers, we say, “Mrs. Smith, you should know that your boy Max has an unhibited temperament, so socialize him.” This doesn’t mean they’re gonna do it. You can’t force them. Some parents will respond to that, but not all. I think the greater therapeutic intervention is less permissiveness at the level of the society toward aggression. We’re too permissive about aggression, much too permissive. That’s where you make the change. Q: Isn’t that a much harder change to make? A: I’m not so certain. I think it’s easier… Let me give you an example: smoking among the middle class. Twenty years ago 80% of middle class people smoked cigarettes. Now it’s down to what, 5%? That wasn’t parental socialization, that was at a societal level. We said, smoking is bad for you. And we passed laws — you can’t smoke in any building in the university. Suddenly people aren’t smoking. Oh,
