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A Personal Debate: Nature Vs. Nurture?

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The debate on Nature vs. Nurture raises the question of whether human behavior is developed naturally within our DNA, or learned in our surrounding environment in which we are brought up. This unresolved question has been discussed and debated since the late 19th century. Philosophers like John Locke and Aristotle favored the idea that the human mind begins as a ‘blank slate’ and it is experiences, guidance, and your perception that shapes who you are (nurture). While others, such as, Plato and Emanuel Kant believed our behavior and personality is by nature; embedded in and decided by our DNA and genotype. After analyzing both sides of the spectrum and my personal experiences, I believe both to be factors, Nurture is more significant in affecting …show more content…
One personal trait I struggle with is being a perfectionist; particularly within my education and social life. It is important to note that being a perfectionist affects many aspects of your life besides just one’s work. I developed this trait very early on and with it I have also been subjected to major anxiety and occasional depression. In the article Field Guide To The Overachiever, Jill Smits states the following:
Perfectionism is a key feature of compulsive overstriving and being driven to achieve, says psychologist Gordon Flett of York University. Painfully high self-standards may compel overachievers to obsessively pursue success—picture the college student with the 3.9 GPA who can't stop self-flagellating over that one B+. (Smits, 2011, psychologytoday).
I have never related to a statement so much as this example Smits gives. Smits goes on to state that when a perfectionist does perform ‘exceptionally’ they still feel unsatisfied with the outcome and don't feel they have achieved much. Furthermore, these are not things my parents struggle with or have ever struggled with in their lives. I can not remember a time where my parents, or anyone, made me feel I could never make mistakes, get any grade below an A, or have someone not like me. This makes me believe that nature does take a role in human behavior; however, nurture takes on an even larger

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