He thinks that these days there are 10 times as many ruthless people as there are decent ones, and society is fast headed down the gurgler. How depressing.

I have always been happy with the idea that just five per cent of the human race are rogues, and that our police and punishment systems are just for them, not for the other 95 per cent.

By “rogue” I mean someone who is constrained by the rules of society only when someone is looking. The worst of them qualify as psychopaths, people who are unable to comprehend the way others feel about them or their actions.

The distribution of rogues seems to be fairly even through society.

Five per cent of company directors are rogues, and five per cent of bus drivers. Five per cent of schoolchildren are rogues, to the despair of their teachers. We have to live with them and guard against them, but we mustn’t despair. It’s only five per cent, not Eric’s 90 per cent, and it’s not getting worse.

MICHAEL GROUNDS,

Strathfieldsaye