Mentality of the car scratches

Published on: Sunday, May 03, 2009

Mentality of the car scratches  The psychology of people who have the "excitement" of scratching other people's cars really boggles my mind. No simple theory can explain this negative anti-social behaviour. But we see this continuing to happen in KK and sometimes our own cars become victims of nasty scratches.

I am a victim of frequent car scratches, to the extent I often inwardly ask God, what wrong have I done to these people to justify their foolish acts? When I look around, I also see cars of various makes, from old models, 4WDs, to luxury cars mercilessly scratched by god knows what sort of peoples.

What really explains their negative behaviour? There are two aspects to this question. First, who are these people and, secondly, what drives such people into committing such wanton act?

My theory holds that these people have the inability to relate themselves to the real world around them. Instead of looking at people around them, as comprising different individuals with different personalities, they see people through one glass, as if they are all hostile, indifferent, uncaring, and "out to get them".

By eliminating individuals who have right religious upbringing, moral and ethical dispositions, we can zero-in towards people who come from dysfunctional families, have troubled childhood, and with a motive for venging their anger, frustration and dissatisfaction tot he world around them.

These people would experience high, a kick or a sense of satisfaction upon seeing the mark of their hands on the cars, equating scratches with innocent graffitis. Yet, graffitis are not exactly the same as car scratches as some are literally dents, gashes or even punch and kick marks!

If the motive is revenge, why must they take revenge indiscriminately on the public? The public at large has done them nothing wrong! If they feel aggrieved and violated by another person per se, why not institute legal action and get matters settled in court? Yet they to on senseless pilfering and destruction of public properties which only serves to reinforce their true character as cowards.

The action does not follow the Rule of Law under the Rukunegara which implies that when something wrong has been perpetrated by one person against another, the rule of law and its processes must prevail.

One is, therefore, compelled to make an observation that a certain segment of our society (if they are part of our society!) are misfits, socially maladjusted, insolent, and troublesome to others.

Perhaps, the School of Psychology and Social Work of Universiti Malaysia Sabah might like to conduct research to get to the bottom of this social problem. There are plenty of "laboratories" to conduct research on this problem by working with City Hall, the juvenile department of law enforcement agencies, and reform institutions.

The output of such research would be useful to generate pro-active measures to prevent occurrence of car pilferage (and of public properties as well), and improve monitoring and evaluation of action programs.

I urge City Hall to set up a preventive unit tasked with monitoring and surveillance of car parks to photograph, identify and arrest on-the-spot culprits?

Democrats