Can you manufacture good character?

[justine]

I came across this and inlight of previous threads it has to make you wonder. Can we manufacture good charachter or is it down to genetics
Please read as it makes you wonder...
Now generaly i am of good nature, mine i believe was definately genetic as my parents did not nurture much.
i would like to see peoples thoughts on this..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7497081.stm

[armanisgirl]

I think its a mixture of both nature and nurture. Being adopted, my brother and i were raised on the same values and morals, and a fair bit of our personalitites can be 'blamed' on our adoptive parents.

However, upon meeting our birth family, I found I was very like my birth mother and my older half-sister, while my brother (we were adopted together) was very like our birth father in so many ways, yet niether birth parent had any influence on our upbringing.

I believe we can all be 'moulded' to a certain degree, as many conformity studies have suggested. But I think, due to our individual natures (and possible environment or genes), we can only continue to conform for so long, then we rebel.

Therehave been many studies, and will continue to be many studies into this kind of debate; though ethical guidlines will prevent many experiments from being repeated. (Having said that, 'Banged Up' remined me of previous experiments - think it was the Stamford experiment, where people were 'banged up', but ethics won't allow the same experiment to be carried out now). I know I don't like to be ordered about all the time, and like to be free to make mistakes, and have the chance to learn from our mistakes. Isn't that what life is meant to be about?

[danc1ngwitch]

its in the breeding. Now watch while people moan over this.[lol]

[teenybash]

This will always be an interesting topic to mull over and chew on.
For me I believe it is a combination of nature and nurture...nature being inherited traits through genes and nurture through the environment we grew up in, the the people that influenced us, parents, relatives and those outwith the family.
I believe each child born comes into this world predisposed to whatever? and this is what is inherited genetically. It is then the responsibility of parents to guide and steer that child away from what is potentially harmful behaviour and attitudes and teach right from wrong, morally and otherwise.................
Initially the responsibility lies with the parent and then the integration of supports via education etc.
Each child should be given the opportunity to develop their natural skills and talents...but if parents are too busy being children themselves.....well???
I know this sounds simplistic ......maybe we all need to get back to the basics and start to cultivate a healthy social and family environment for our young people and show them how to value life and not possessions etc. :confused

[Lord Flasheart]

I dont think you can, I reckon its a combination of your upbringing (which shapes your view of life) and then how you as an individual decide how to live your life.

People like this are beyond help .. http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/display.var.2385790.0.plaque_stolen_from_grave_of_ war_hero.php .. stealing the brass plaque from a soldiers grave, most probably to sell for scrap. I would LOVE ten minutes alone with whoever did this. The lowest of the low.

And at the other end of the spectrum .. http://www.justgiving.com/christinebonner .. the Just giving page for the mother of the fallen soldier whose grave was desecrated. She is out doing a sponsored walk for her sons comrades.

I cant see how we can turn the former into the latter for the life of me. I wish we could but I reckon you either have character or you dont. If there is some there you can build on it but some people dont seem to have any.

[DeHaviLand]

its in the breeding. Now watch while people moan over this.[lol]

What makes you think you're interesting enough to be moaned at?:lol:

[bekisman]

that's weird! just put my curser over Dehaviland's post above and it says "what makes you think you're interesting enough to moan at?" to the left of the smiley face.. Ah I see it's typed in 'white'

[DeHaviLand]

that's weird! just put my curser over Dehaviland's post above and it says "what makes you think you're interesting enough to moan at?" to the left of the smiley face.. Ah I see it's typed in 'white'

lol;):lol:

[Valerie Campbell]

[QUOTE=Lord Flasheart;405700]I reckon its a combination of your upbringing (which shapes your view of life) and then how you as an individual decide how to live your life.

I think you're absolutely right here. In my case, as an adult, I just do the opposite from what my mother did to me, and hopefully my children are happy with their childhoods!

[Thumper]

I think that it is in your nature but can be helped by the way you are nurtured.My son hasn't seen his dad in over 11 years but he gets more like him everyday,not just in looks but in personality which astounds me seeing as they have had no contact since he was 6,I guess the saying "you get like the people you live with" isnt true at all x

[katarina]

life is like a game of cards. You have no choice which cards you are dealt, but its up to you how you play them.

[sweetpea]

life is like a game of cards. You have no choice which cards you are dealt, but its up to you how you play them.


My sentiments too. I think that things like values, environment, experiences and things that your exposed to as a bairn shape us and that how we deal with these forms our character. Also to me good character is how you react to people and choices every minute of the day.

[brokencross]

A Nelson Mandela quote:-
"No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite".

I reckon those sentiments apply to ALL aspects in the building of a youngsters character.
From day one the child is learning, the lessons they learn will probably stay with them for life. Parents and the close nuclear family are the teachers, initially. Their joint values, attitudes, behaviour, temperament will day by day will set the foundations for the future character of the young person. As the youngster grows up they will come into contact more and more people with different different characters, some good, some bad. Hopefully though if good strong foundations have been laid at an early stage, their good character will prevail.

I guess that puts me firmly in the nurture camp, but I reckon nature comes into the equation somewhere along the line, but I am bogged if I know how.