[_ Old Earth _] Nature vs Nurture: (Sergeant Krupke)

[JohnR]

In the movie in west side story there is a song that asks the question why are some young people delinquents. Science has asked this question for a long time. Is this a question of nature or nurture. Are people born this way or was it a result of their invironment.

For science that answer is both. People can be born with a tendancy, but invironment and personal choices make a big difference also. Perhaps this will make the people who put delinquents in jail feel a little bit better that there is a personal choice involved to some degree. Even if heridity and invironment still play a big part in the outcome.

Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke, You gotta
understand, It's just our bringin' up-ke That gets us out of hand. Our mothers all are junkies,
Our fathers all are drunks. Golly Moses, natcherly
we're punks! http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/West-S ... rupke.html

 

[Barbarian]

Officer Krupke, you've done it again.
This boy don't need a job, he needs a year in the pen.
It ain't just a question of misunderstood;
Deep down inside him, he's no good!

 

[Barbarian]

Humans are very flexible in their behavior, and a child's upbringing does make a difference.

That being said, we are still rational creatures, and capable of understanding what is right and wrong, and are morally and legally responsible for our actions.

 

[Gabbylittleangel]

The amount of prayer offered up on the child's behalf makes a major difference in their life as well.

 

[LittleNipper]

The trouble is he's lazy.
The trouble is he drinks.
The trouble is he's crazy.
The trouble is he stinks.
The trouble is he's growing
The trouble is he's grown.....


The trouble is he is a sinner
and needs a SAVIOR to call his own.