Earlier quoted context omitted.
Thinking only sociopaths can do really terrible things is likely very wrong. Normal people can decide over some time to switch off empathy, or to work against it. This needs to be understood.
Anger, pain or desperation will make otherwise normal people do some very abnormal things. Even in the most "civilized" and wealthy of western democracies, 1 week of no food, water and electricity would lead to absolute bedlam. Three months of that kind of desperation would lead to otherwise normal people killing and robbing strangers. When the crisis abates, they'll be able to rationalize away their behavior because…
I would argue that neither does a stiff dick.
If you look at Maslov's hierarchy, if you can't fulfill your basic needs at the bottom of the pyramid, you're not really looking for self-actualization.