I've encountered homophobes, misogynists, sexists, and people who don't care about animals.

[vanlassie]

87. Failure to form empathy is hormone driven in early years.

It's true, they CAN'T wrap their minds around things requiring empathy. The reason it confuses us is that they can seem pretty normal in most respects. But there is something missing. It didn't get put in place during the first three years of life. In a nutshell, (and I am not an expert, but have read lots about this) excessive hormones cortisol and adrenaline can interfere with the formation of neurological pathways in the brain. If it does not happen when it should, then it's too late. Stress in babies and young children can potentially be extremely harmful, if it is chronic or excessive. Stress can be a slow thing like having no one who really cares deeply around when you need them, to things like the hospitalization that left Ted K alone and isolated at nine months (for fucks sake) for days or longer.

I assume many babies make it through as long as they have ONE person who cares, even if that is a nanny, but they have to BE THERE. Fear and need cause excessive hormones to flow. The child can LOOK pretty OK. But they are not.

I have heard it explained that emotional neglect in the first three years can lead to sociopathy (failure to form empathy) Whereas, emotional neglect after the first three years can lead to neurotic tendencies.