You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch. Your heart’s an empty hole. Your brain is full of spiders, you’ve got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch. I wouldn’t touch you with a 39-and-one-half-foot pole. ...Or would I?

This song has become one of the all-time trademark songs for the Christmastime season. The story of The Grinch, originally told by a physician named Seuss, tells the story of an enigmatic green person who attempts year after year to destroy the spirit of Christmas in a pseudo-fictional town called Whoville.

SPOILER ALERT! At the end of the story, Cindy Lou Who manages to show love to The Grinch, changing his heart from one of homicidal tendencies to one more along the lines of a certain Kris Kringle.

And now, a deep breath.

What is this world coming to? Everywhere we turn during this season we are reminded of the true spirit of Christmas, that love and giving is better than receiving, that serving our fellow man is the greatest thing to do and should continue on throughout the year.

So why, during this season above all, is the animosity toward this not-so-jolly green giant so large? Has anyone ever asked why Mr. Grinch is just so “mean”? I’m not sure anyone has. I think perhaps the general populous sees his green fur and bad dental hygiene and automatically makes assumptions about him. They don’t give him a chance.

Everyone celebrates The Grinch turning good, but no one questions why he became bad in the first place.

Well, I do. Thanks to my good ‘ol BYU-I education.

In Sociology, it’s called the Looking Glass Self. This idea says that who we are is based on our perceptions of how others view us. The Looking Glass Self is divided into three different elements. First, we imagine how we appear to others; second, we interpret the meaning of how others view us; and third, we develop a self-feeling or emotion based on the other two elements.

With the story of The Grinch, the connection is simple. The Grinch became an outsider to Whoville because of an unjust community who shunned, feared and ridiculed him simply because of his “minority” status.

I think The Grinch stole because people expected him to do it. The bar was held so low for him by society, he then internalized the negative vibes, reaching such a low bar easily.

The Grinch was a grinch because everyone told him so.

It is very similar to today. When parents tell children they won’t amount to anything, they generally don’t. Those who are repeatedly told they are dumb, weird and more cannot generally escape such attacks.

On the other hand, as my good friend Tevye would say, this principle works for the positive. When children are told they can do whatever they put their mind to, emphasizing the importance of self-fulfilling prophecy and given the love and encouragement needed, the ability to excel increases.

With The Grinch, the same happens. Even though society has outcast the little furball, our dear Cindy Lou Who, with an innocent mind and loving heart, befriends The Grinch and loves him regardless of what stereotypes are thrown his way. Cindy Lou’s love shows The Grinch of his potential and, in the end, changes his heart to that of a saint.

This Christmas season and beyond may we all look to the story of The Grinch and remember that our perception and attitude toward our fellow man can affect him or her positively and negatively.

Even if they have termites in their smiles.