To What Extent Are We "Products of Our Environment"?

[ellievancuren]

In my personal opinion, I believe that a person’s surroundings while growing up greatly impact how that person thinks and behaves. For example, many children continue to have the same religious and political beliefs as their parents even when they are older because these views are what they have spent their entire life thinking and believing is true. However, not all children mimic the exact ideas and beliefs of their parents. Many times children act the exact opposite of how their parents did and treat their children and families much differently. For example, some children that grow up in an abused home vow they will never hurt anyone the way they have been hurt. In this case, their unfortunate environment causes them to know exactly how they do not want treat others. Regardless of the circumstances, I believe that our environment definitely has a role in the shaping of a person’s attitudes and beliefs towards certain subjects; therefore, making us “products of our environment”. In In Cold Blood, Perry faced severe abandonment issues that possibly impacted his decisions in life that lead him to commit various crimes and spend time in prison. The killer probably did not have a role model to demonstrate proper morals for him. On the other hand, Nancy grew up in a stable and loving household with a big family which could have influenced her to be more caring and compassionate towards her family and community members, making her well-liked and popular in her town. Growing up with two older, respectful sisters and her father who was a responsible and ethical man, she learned how to become polite and accountable as well. Therefore, these two people very much became "products of their environment".

[16sellersn]

I would like to say I agree with Ellie in that people are affected by their environment and surroundings but those surroundings don't define a person. A child who is raised in a family who is caring and close will most likely grow up as a caring person and raise their children that way. Now on the other hand a child raised in poverty and a poor environment can grow up and live their life like this because they don't know anything else. But sometimes children in this environment can grow and mature into better people than those in a good environment. Some people in bad environments will grow up with these terrible lives and they then decide that they don't want the rest of there life to be like this and they strive to change it and make it better. They don't want their children to have to go through what they had to so they change. I belive that people raised in bad environments have more motivation to lead a better life for themselves and their children most of the time. I don't feel any simpithy for the killers in "In Cold Blood" because I belive they should have more motivation to live a better but they decide to lead their lives in a bad way so I don't see where they are coming from to slaughter a family.

[lesliemelendez]

I agree with Noah and Ellie as well, when it comes down to nature vs. nurture, nurture is a main factor on how a child will grow up to live there lives. Both killers had difficult lives: Perry Smith, one if the murders, grew up in an abusive household with his father then in an alcoholic household with his mother. During his childhood he was in and out of school which caused him a to have a poor education. Richard Hickock, the other killer, had a better start in life, being an extremely intelligent and popular student, however he was involved in a automobile accident which caused him to become disfigured. Although Richard's life wasn't as hard as Perry's life he still became angry with the world because of the accident and his family's economic status. Neither killer grew up in an extremely happy and healthy household which started then both out at a hard place in life. I believe that Truman Capote contrasts the killers lives with the Clutter family lives to show the difference in what nurturing can do. Herb Clutter was a successful farmer with 4 children who were considered beautiful, smart, and intelligent. Herb believed in no drinking, no smoking, and no criminal activity- which is what he raised his kids on. Nancy was the most popular girl in town who was dating the high school basketball star. She was lived and nurtured by her parents and was leading a happy life before she was killed, I doubt she would've done so I'd her parents did not show their love to her. She was already becoming more successful in her young life than Smith and Hickock had ever been. When a person receives love and support in the early stages if their lives it builds there character which will further them in the rest of their lives.

[benseiter]

I disagree with Noah to a certain extent. In my opinion, people who grow up in bad environment do not always have to choice to change their lives around, or else most would. Most of the time they get caught in the unfortunate cycle. Often children don't have the opportunities to reach upper level education which disables them to make the change some people want to make. Although people might not be able to make a 180°turn, theyy can make enough of a change to alter thier future.I don't think it's a debate about nature or nurture, rather nature and nurture. What I mean by that is both play significant roles in the outcomes of peoples lives. As seen by Dick, his nature clearly played a huge role in the shaping of his life. On the other hand, the author, Truman Capote, compared their childhood's to each other saying one walked out the front door and the other the back. I think that the nature AND nurture of Dick Hickoch pushed him to be a criminal and a murderer, while Capote's nature led a different route. Personally, I think we are responsible for our actions and beliefs until we reach a spot or in our lives where we can choose our own paths. It isn't a specific age but when you get a choice to change your future or continue the negative lifestyle. I think nature plays a slightly more influential role because of all the people who turn their lives around or fall off the path of a successful one. I think we are products of our environments for most of our developmental age but our final result in life is up to the individual person. In relation to the book, I think I will have a hard time feeling as if it isn't Perry's or Dick's fault that they shot and killed most of a family for that reason.

[16sellersn]

I would like to say I agree with Ellie in that people are affected by their environment and surroundings but those surroundings don't define a person. A child who is raised in a family who is caring and close will most likely grow up as a caring person and raise their children that way. Now on the other hand a child raised in poverty and a poor environment can grow up and live their life like this because they don't know anything else. But sometimes children in this environment can grow and mature into better people than those in a good environment. Some people in bad environments will grow up with these terrible lives and they then decide that they don't want the rest of there life to be like this and they strive to change it and make it better. They don't want their children to have to go through what they had to so they change. I belive that people raised in bad environments have more motivation to lead a better life for themselves and their children most of the time. I don't feel any simpithy for the killers in "In Cold Blood" because I belive they should have more motivation to live a better but they decide to lead their lives in a bad way so I don't see where they are coming from to slaughter a family.[/quote]

[Kamryn Balson]

I would agree with Noah in that people are affected by their environment but their environment doesn't have to define a person. What defines that person is changing their life around when the chances don't seem like its possible. A child coming from a poor home with minimum possessions seems to have a less chance of success compared to the kid that grew up in a caring, hovering family. If that child or person chooses to turn their life around even with the little help they receive that moment defines that person. Most children who grew up in a closely bonded family seem to always be on the road to success, while the child in the distant family seems more lost and needs more help. Children in closely bonded families also seem to have more materialistic possessions and proper guidance to get them where they need to go. But the children with family struggles like money and little possessions have a more difficult time being successful compared to the wealthier kids. Like the killers in In Cold Blood, they both grew up in difficult environments which factors into their decisions later like murder because they were never on the road to success or had the opportunity to be successful.