Suppressed anger

Somebody once asked: "how could a man like Pol Pot be so cruel to his own people?"

After some reading and talking to some people, here is the answer I have come to understand.

The Cambodians are really very gentle people.  The language, the culture, all leaves one to appear happy and peaceful.  Any negative emotions like anger, frustration and rage are kept hidden - ie. not to be revealed to one's neighbours.

However, this suppressed anger has a nasty side when it is let out.

Cambodians are also highly into violence.  Not in their everyday behaviour, mind you, but the television shows, dramas and comic books that they enjoy show their tendency towards this.  Usually, it is just watching violence as a form of entertainment.

When the suppressed anger was released through a man corrupted with power with a tendancy towards violence back in the days of the Pol Pot regime, disaster ignited for the country.

Note: this is an opinion formed from recent understanding of the Cambodian mindset.  I do not know how accurae my recent understanding is.  Nor do I really know what went on inside the mind of Pol Pot.