The big question that has been asked for centuries by many philosophers as well as scientists and yet remains a mystery. Humans are capable of profound kindness and empathy as well as extreme savagery and cruelty. We are capable of looking after one another, showing unconditional love and dedicating our lifetime for the betterment of our species. With the help of science, we are willing to cut ourselves open and give away part of ourselves for others. Yet, at the same, we are still devising mechanisms to make the most effective weapons to kill others in unimaginable ways. Our species is the biggest paradox there is.
The questions we ask ourselves are endless. Do we control our own destiny or is our fate decided the moment we are born? Why are we the way we are? Why am I so different from the others? What makes us so unique? Is it our genes or is the way we are brought up?
We cannot deny the part genes play in making us unique. Genes are the reason for our differences in height, hair color, eye color andmany of our physical attributes. It’s the reason we all look so different from one another. But is appearance the only way you are unique? What about our personality, our temperament, the way we talk, our sense of humor, our sense of style even? Are genes responsible for those as well? The answer is NO. You don’t necessarily need research articles to tell you that. If you ever had the privilege to spend time with identical twins –you could see that they are still unique despite their identical genome. It is clear that complex human behavior cannot be reduced to purely genes.
As Science students, we all know that genetics is way more complicated than the ‘’one gene for one protein’’ theory. Our genome is not a blueprint that dictates our destiny. How, where and when the genes are expressed in our bodies is affected by our environment. To put it simply, our surroundings changes the way our genes are expressed in our bodies. Genes are malleable, they are designed to take cues from everything that happens around us.
Let’s say you are more susceptible to develop a certain illness or behavior due to genetic pre-disposition. But susceptibility isn’t inevitability. With the right care and help you can understand the condition better and take the right precautions.
This is why you often hear about bad childhood and dysfunctional households linked up to antisocial behavior when talking about criminals. From the moment of conception, all the factors you experience have an effect on the development of your brain. In addition, they probably have pre-disposition to mental health issues - all of these snowballs into a person having problems with interpersonal relationships and a skewed moral compass.
Just like how bad experiences can turn on vulnerable genes, rich and challenging experiences have the power to enhance your life. It has been said that an average man’s IQ at present time is 20 points higher than it was 30 years ago. Why? It could be because right now we have a better opportunity to learn and broaden our views. The bottom line is, our genes are not the puppet masters pulling the strings. Our genes and our surroundings together mold us into who we are. It’s a fight between nature and nurture to make us into who we are. At the end of the day, whether its nature or nurture that molded you –you can still blame your parents for everything!
By : Editorial board 2018