Nature Vs. Nurture

Our minds are born with filled with so many things. From the time we are born to what we acquire and learn throughout our lives. From things we see happen in the news and in our own communities. Sometimes we don’t even realize it but we are being manipulated to behaving a certain way, to eat certain foods or to even dress a certain way.

When talking about nature we are talking about our genetics and how they determine our behaviors and our personality traits. Our abilities are in our nature. We are born with certain traits and genes that our parents pass down onto us. Such as our hair color, eye color and sometimes some of us are born with an extra chromosome. However, I strongly believe that our minds have a “clean slate.” We are not born knowing how to kill, how to cook or even how to walk. But along our developing years we see things and we learn from those things we see in tv, within our own family and our society. Whether it’s something problematic/negative or something positive, we are the ones to choose our path. One thing that could probably be argued is when we are infants our parents are kind of the ones to make our choices and makeup our minds. For example, the study shown in the video with the infant and his mom. While the kid’s mom was in the room with him he was playing with the toys just fine. When the mom left the room, the infant felt lost in a way. The toys were as if they had disappeared and all the baby wanted was his mom. The infant was scared and knew he had to find comfort in something else rather than his mom, so he did he was calming himself down with the carpet by trying to lay down in it faced down.

With that said, the baby had no choice but to think for himself and act upon what he was feeling and the situation at hand. Therefore, a new idea was introduced to his mind and next time that happens its more likely he will cope the same way. Or anger will be placed into his emotions and maybe if that continues that infant will start feeling neglected, the older he gets the worst things could be mentally and physically within his personality.

Another issue that I personally have seen be true and it is even mentioned in this video, is that bullying plays such a big role in building up anger inside of someone. Most of the time those kids being bullied are not going to speak up and talk to someone about it. Until they cannot take it anymore and all of that anger build up inside will explode one day and that is when tragedies happen. Along with all of that anger. Those being bullied start having mental problems and being extremely depressed and even suicidal. Like Andy in this clip the bullying got to him and destroyed him inside making him act out in a rampage and end up being a serial killer.

In conclusion, when it comes to the human mind we are nurtured, manipulated. Our environment, upbringing and life experiences determine our behavior. Like criminals today they were not born instantly wanting to kill or to be something else. They were molded up to potentially be criminals. By their surroundings, their experiences and their environment.

Citations

1. Lubhock, Joshua. ‘[Serial Killers Documentaries Full 2015] The Mind of a Rampage Killer Full Crime Documentaries.’ YouTube. YouTube, 21 June 2015. Web. 01 Sept. 2018.

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