Nature vs Nurture

For my blog assignment, I decided I wanted to write about nativism versus empiricism. It has been argued by people for many, many years on whether certain things in people are born in them and genetically wired in them or that people are affected by what they grow up around. While there is evidence that supports both, in my opinion, nativism dominates.

There are a few reasons why I believe that nativism dominates. There is one particular thing that stands out to me most though, and that is athletic ability. I grew up in a small town where sports meant everything. I was huge into basketball in particular. My best friends and I would play all the time, it was our favorite thing to do. We worked hard to have the talent that our team did. While our hardwork could only take us so far, we ended our season to a team much taller and more physically sound than us, with our tallest player being 6’3 and there tallest player being 6’ 11”. While I do believe that hard work in sports can take you to great lengths, it cannot take you all the way to the professional level. I had a very good friend who was a star basketball player. Not only was he talented, but he was the hardest worker I knew. He was always trying to better himself whether it be on the court or with just with the diet he had. He was always looking to get better. The problem was that he was only 5’ 9”, this led to some problems in the basketball world. I do know there are some players that short in the NBA, but they are extreme exceptions. This is why I believe it is almost born into us through nativism to become whatever we may become in the future. In this case, to play professional basketball, you need to be gifted at birth with something in you genetics that allows you to have an outstanding physique needed to play professional basketball. It is not normally something you can just work for, it is something you are born with. This is why I believe people are born with certain gifts and talents and why nativism is more relevant.

One thought on “Nature vs Nurture

  1. Stephanie Tara Unger

    It is very ironic that you say this because last night I was watching the NBA All-star game with one of my guy friends. We both played in high school and he was one of the best high school basketball players I have ever seen. Due to certain natural abilities, such as size, he was unable to play at the college level. Him and I were talking during the game about one of the player’s ball handling skills. I definitely feel that being an excellent ball handler is much more than something you continue to work at every day. Athleticism is something that you are born with and being able to excel in those types of aspects in the game of basketball is not something that is achievable for all who love the sport. Some are naturally born with the body, muscles, speed, and the overall fundamentals that cause them to reach the professional level. With that being said, I highly agree with you about the physique needed to play professional basketball is born naturally within. Yes, it does require tons of hard work, but that hard work is easily obtainable for some more than others.

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