Nature vs Nurture
Science vs Entrepreneurial
While watching a short video about some of
the eye boggling science that is coming out of
Israel, I began thinking about Nature vs Nurture.
It is something we learn at school but soon
after that we abandon that idea. I thought to myself, what is happening in
Israel, a small country, surrounded by very militant, destructive forces, yet
managing to invent, go forward, publish much more than all of its enemies
including those flush with oil money, has to do with Nature.
No Arabs have won a Nobel Prize in recent
memory but they like many of their beliefs like to go back to the glory of
their centuries past. Yes their civilization was brilliant but was soon
surpassed by those of the Europeans even when Ottoman Empire was at its peak.
Middle Easterners, with exception of
Iranians don't seem to contribute much to the Science of the day, neither do
Indians or Chinese, who are good at other things, but sluggish at other things.
Individual Indians have become great entrepreneurs in the USA but you don't
hear of them spearheading Science in any large way compared to the thousands
who are in the industry.
So Individuals doing well, whether in
Business or other entrepreneurial matters may have to do with their NURTURE.
As an anthropologist, I understand both
Nature and Nurture may be constructed entities but in my mind, there seems to
be a connection between Nature and evolving belief systems, and a lack of rigid
belief in faith or dogma. Whereas those who do not succeed, seem to be stuck in
millennia old dogma or belief systems which do not allow them to evolve. In
Asia, I found both Islam and Hinduism to be very restrictive but Buddhism to be
less so.
In Asia, those individuals who are
extraordinarily good people do seem to have liberated themselves from
fanaticism and keep an open mind. They have the best of the both oriental and
occidental world.
Islam and Judaism and Christianity all
encompass many races, but culturally there are great differences, even among
the adherents of the same faith. Malays and Indonesians are the same race of
people but their observation of the religion is very different and it is
reflected in their differences in open mindedness and innovation, Indonesians
being more so.
My Chinese Malaysian friends would remind me
that the Chinese are driven by a sense of survival, which would cross both
Nature and Nurture divide, but much more Nurture than Nature since Chinese do
make excellent Entrepreneurs.
How nice if there was a way for us to know
what plays a greater role in our own upbringing, then we could make appropriate
choices of our careers.
I can give a great example from my
profession, Medicine. It is most suited for people who are blessed with Nature,
so that they can truly contribute to the welfare of others. Those whose life is
dominated by Cultural Nurturing, might use Medicine as an entrepreneurial
vehicle thus hijacking the original humanitarian aim of Medical Care. Indian
and Pakistani doctors (Hindus or Moslems) are good examples of the latter.
Like in anything else broad generalizations
would lead to the accusations of racism and elitism but I remember very clearly
what Sr Altschuler, son of one of the founding fathers of Cuban Communist Party
once said to me:
There are two types of People, one would
like do things for others, and the other who would like to do things for
themselves.
A good definition of Nature vs Nurture, I
think after all that many years.
Then he added, if you belong to the second
category, sitting on the balcony of his house in Vedado, La Habana, I urge you
to go to the USA, you would love it. But by chance you belong to the first
category, you will find Cuba to be a paradise.
As I prepare to return to Cuba after
wandering all around the world, I have to agree with Sr Altschuler!
THE ORIGINAL VIDEO THAT MADE MY WANDER LIKE THIS IS HERE
Made in Israel-Medicine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Zfk8uQXak
