Human beings are influenced by both their genetics and the environment they are raised in. There is a great deal of evidence for both nature and nurture, so why can’t we realize that both can have an impact? Throughout history, the homo species has had to fight for survival. We as humans, for the most part, do not need to fight for food and shelter, yet some of our animal instincts remain. It is not so crazy to say that humans are effected by nature and the environment they grew up in.
As we have seen in Shot in the Heart by Mikal Gilmore, a poisoned family environment can have an effect on children; as seen with Gary Gilmore. Mikal remembers his father beating the children and his mother quite frequently, and even beating the dog. As we have …show more content…
The built in aggression is the animal instinct; it serves as the defense against a threat to us. So if someone were to attempt to hurt you, this is what would be triggered. The other, biologically non-adaptive aggression, Fromm puts as "…destructiveness and cruelty, is not a defense against a threat; it is not phylogenetically programmed; it is characteristic only of man; it is biologically harmful because it is socially disruptive; its main manifestations killing and cruelty-are pleasureful without needing any other purpose…though not an instinct, (malignant aggression) is a human potential rooted in the very conditions of human existence”. So, one of these aggressions is with us no matter what, and the other comes about when exposed to the rest of humanity. The things the Gilmore parents have seen and experienced effected the way they treated their family, and then the way they treated their children directly affected them as well. If Frank and Bessie Gilmore did not have a violent life themselves, there is an immense chance that they would have had a healthy marriage and healthy
As we have seen in Shot in the Heart by Mikal Gilmore, a poisoned family environment can have an effect on children; as seen with Gary Gilmore. Mikal remembers his father beating the children and his mother quite frequently, and even beating the dog. As we have …show more content…
The built in aggression is the animal instinct; it serves as the defense against a threat to us. So if someone were to attempt to hurt you, this is what would be triggered. The other, biologically non-adaptive aggression, Fromm puts as "…destructiveness and cruelty, is not a defense against a threat; it is not phylogenetically programmed; it is characteristic only of man; it is biologically harmful because it is socially disruptive; its main manifestations killing and cruelty-are pleasureful without needing any other purpose…though not an instinct, (malignant aggression) is a human potential rooted in the very conditions of human existence”. So, one of these aggressions is with us no matter what, and the other comes about when exposed to the rest of humanity. The things the Gilmore parents have seen and experienced effected the way they treated their family, and then the way they treated their children directly affected them as well. If Frank and Bessie Gilmore did not have a violent life themselves, there is an immense chance that they would have had a healthy marriage and healthy