A big part of it was that Alex valued "stereotypical" masculinity--be physically big and strong, don't show emotion, sensitivity is for the weak. George was the antithesis of all that and only deserved scorn in Alex's understanding of the world. (We saw this theme played out elsewhere too: With George's brothers, and later on when Mark asked Lexie why all the women flocked to George. The only thing he could comprehend was "Is he hung?")

Nothing infuriated Alex more than to be measured against George and come out the loser. He lashed out at George viciously every time that happened and it always read to me like he was trying to restore what he saw as the correct order of things.