Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Caste Part III : Nature versus Nurture

I Believe

Dreamt a hundred thousand dreams before
Now I finally realize
You see I've waited all my life for this moment to arrive
And finally, I believe

If you dream that you can change your nature, is that possible? 

Albert Einstein was a Jewish refugee.  Marie Curie was a woman.  Stephen Hawking was paralyzed by ALS, confined to a wheelchair and spoke with mechanical aids.  Alan Turing was a homosexual.  John Coltrane was Black. Toni Morrison was both Black and a woman.  Benjamin Franklin was 70 years old when he helped in drafting the Declaration of Independence.  According to nativists, we are defined by our nature and that nature defines what we can achieve.  Thus, none of these people should have achieved their dreams and made the contributions that they did, but society is fortunate that they made those achievements.

Faith, nationality, immigration status, gender, disability, sexual orientation, race, age, and other measures of caste, should not define one's contributions and value to society. While, nature alone might be proper for animal husbandry it may not be the best way to define people.  However nurture alone is not an alternative.  Despite my dreams, I will never run a 100 meters in 10 seconds.  What is necessary that people be nurtured to support their dreams consistent with their nature.