Are we mostly the result of genes or environment?

The combining of your parents’ genes was a little miracle that would oversee the creation and assemblage of proteins that would ultimately make you, you. 

But in what way are we merely the result of our biological and genetic inheritance, and to what extent are we self-made?

The key thing about human action, says Stanford professor of biology and neurology Robert Sapolsky, is its complexity. Each behavior involves a rich interaction between biological factors, environment, memory, culture and genetics.

We’ve all heard about the studies involving identical twins separated at birth who grow up in dramatically different environments, yet demonstrate remarkably similar personality traits.

We assume that genes ‘control’ our behavior to some extent, but in fact many genes are only triggered by environmental factors. As Sapolsky puts it, “genes aren’t about inevitability. Instead they’re about context-dependent tendencies, propensities, potentials, and vulnerabilitie

This is important, because throughout history, people have tried to use genetic inheritances to put people in boxes, and to justify racial, gender and class discrimination. It’s led to selective “breeding”, forced sterilizations, and genocide.

Fortunately, genetic determinism has been discredited. In its place, research has demonstrated the brain’s incredible ability to change and rewire itself. This neuroplasticity is celebrated in books such as Norman Doidge’s The Brain That Changes Itself. 

Neuroplasticity enables “old dogs to learn new tricks”. History yields many people who were raised amid chaos and violence and yet had a series of awakenings that puts them on a path to distinction. 

Even if harsh environments made a person’s neural wiring ripe for aggression and violence, an interaction of new environmental factors can interact with that wiring to cause changes that can benefit everyone. 

Bottom line: It’s not all about biology and it’s not all about environment, but rather how these mutually influence each other under the right conditions. Our biology and genes are an important part of who we are, but they’re more like a springboard and rarely determine what we m