The collapse of society’s traditional structures makes chaos of the social order. Given this vacuum of legitimate leadership, individuals attempted to create their own positions by oppressing or attempting to dominate their neighbors. By tradition, children would be deferential to their elders; but in this socially chaotic situation, the usual categories of social order are reversed with children (the inexperienced) being insolent to the elderly (the wise). Likewise, the “base” (or those without honor) will treat the “honorable” with contempt.