Jean Calder's article on "jerks" (The Argus, November 20) will have struck chords with many.

These antisocial, graceless, self-centred, bullying louts are increasingly dominant in modern British society.

Her remark that jerks "see children as rivals" may be a key to the problem. For, however grown-up, muscular and aggressive they may appear to be in physical terms, in psychological terms they remain children themselves.

They've never been encouraged to develop beyond the toddler stage.

Take the huge, malodorous lout I saw push to the front of the post office queue the other day, drink in hand, insisting he had to have his benefit money that instant.

When challenged, he spat out obscenities to the effect of: "Give me some respect, will you? All I ask is some respect." Never in his life had he learnt that respect is something accorded to others rather than demanded for oneself.

His reaction to anything that momentarily obstructed his desire was to throw a tantrum.

Our society is full of psychological toddlers like him who have never learned the basics of human co-existence, who have never been adequately parented - and on all sides they are indulged by society's equally infantilised mores.

Our television screens spew childish junk and infantile adverts hector us on every side. The media dumb down the news and exams are made easier so everyone can pass.

Our Government imposes a nanny state and in place of dignity, courtesy, responsibility, self-effacement and consideration for others, our society encourages selfishness, greed, personal rights, boorishness, confrontation, self-assertion and hissy-fits, tantrums and various forms of rage if we don't get our way.

We need more than the teaching of manners in schools that Calder's mother recommends. We urgently need to reform our society's whole attitude and tone.

And we need improved parenting, parenting, parenting.

-Graham Chainey, Brighton