In a comic moment of Defending Your Life, Albert Brooks is reliving a past life where he is being chased by a tiger through a jungle. His romantic interest, Meryl Streep, is reliving a past life where she is a queen. She calls out to Albert, "What are you?" He responds, "Dinner".
Our culture's obsession with genetics could easily leave the impression that many of us are destined to be "Dinner". If not for a tiger, then for an upright carnivorous animal that either wears wingtips or stilettos. Behavior Genetics explains that we know yellow Labraodors are natural retrievers, and border collies are natural herders. An extra chromosome 21 is associated with mental retardation. However, research over several decades seems to indicate that no single gene determines a particular behavior.
But we inherit millions of genes from our parents. Does a combination make us dinner? Genetic determinism is the belief that genes determine both our physical manifestation. There is certainly empirical evidence that genetic markers determine the likelihood of developing certain diseases. Nature versus nurture explores effects of genes and environment. Surprisingly IQ is not a strong family inheritance, whereas traits can be correlated with inheritance. But even on those, don't discount the environment. A new study shows that the environment can reset our DNA. Experiences and nurturing can switch some genes on and others off, thus altering our DNA.
Sharon Begley writes, "For too long we have been in the grip of genetic determinism, the idea that the genes we enter the world with shape the lives we lead, that genes have behavior on a short leash."
Mmm. Our genetics may limit us. I had no chance of being an NBA star, but the environment given to me and later shaped by myself is every bit as important as my DNA. I do not blame DNA for my failures - we are much more than a double helix.
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