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akerle's picture

either/or? Neither nor.

I believe that nature IS nurture and vice versa. One does not exist in isolation with out the other.

A parent will nurture their child according to their 'nature' (personality/genetics...call it what you will). A child will receive the influences of this parent and learn from their experiences- but the care the child receives only affects the child as much as their nature will allow. Nature creates nurturing patterns.

For me, there is no either/ or situation here. Everyone has genes so everyone is predisposed in some way or another to something, be it bi-polar disorder or sports.

As for preventative steps that can be taken. I believe that knowledge is the greatest tool we have. Whether or not there will be a slippery slope, I don't know, but the more we understand about the human experience the better equipped we will be to deal with the varieties of that experience we encounter. 

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