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Society's Monsters

 

            Are people born with an inherent tendency for good or evil, or are these traits learned from our experiences and those things which influence our lives? The question of nature versus nurture has been a subject of controversy among experts for centuries, yet the debate still rages over which plays a larger role in shaping character and personality. Mary Shelley's literary masterpiece, "Frankenstein," is a fictional case study that clearly comes down on the side of nurture. Mary Shelley's depiction of the transformation of the creature's personality, as well as modern day examples, supports the idea that genetics do not play as prominent a role in shaping a person's character as do his or her exposure to mainstream media and interactions with other people in society. .
             Genetics do not play a large role in shaping a person's character and personality. Nowhere is this argument more evident than in the innocence of a newborn baby. A newborn is brought into the world with no preset notions of good and evil, love and hate, or any other personality or character traits. This belief that a person's mind is a blank slate at birth is not a modern one. As early as the late seventeenth century, philosopher John Locke's theory of tabula rasa, "blank slate, "stated that "the human mind receives knowledge and forms itself based on experience alone, without any pre-existing innate ideas that would serve as a starting point" " (Tabula rasa "). Essentially Locke believes that genetics play no role in the development of personality or character. Each individual is simply a blank canvas waiting to be painted on by his or her experiences in society. This argument is supported in the modern world. .
             There have been numerous recorded incidences of identical twins, who were separated at birth or during the early stages of life, exhibiting completely different personalities and characteristics. In a study of twelve such sets of twins, researcher Juel-Nielsen concluded that the sets of twin were very different in regards to attitude, ambitions, emotional reactions, and behavior (Joseph 7-8).


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