Michael Oher Nature Vs Nurture

When it comes to how a person turns out in life, whether they be murderers of some kind, or all time stars, most turn to how said person was raised to determine whether they were raised to become like this, or if they were just born with the mindset or capabilities. This is the nature versus nurture psychological debate, where phycologists try to determine whether some actions and behaviors were genetically transferred, or whether they were acquired through the environment someone was raised in (McLeod). While the nature vs. nurture debate is a popular explanation for some behaviors and actions, it is not always an accurate explanation. Some come from backgrounds of poverty and neglect, and choose to rise above it. Others come from backgrounds …show more content…
Oher was raised with the odds stacked against him, with poverty, foster care, poor attendance in school, absent mother, and unsafe living environment. Some argue that when Oher was adopted by a white family, he started to turn his life around rather than continuing to live in poverty. While his new foster family did help him partially escape his past life of poverty and unsafe environment, it was ultimately Oher’s decision to do something with his life in high school, rather than just wait for him to fall back into his previous routine or foster home jumping, poor school attendance, poverty, and other aspects of his old life. Oher says “Growing up in the projects in some of the roughest parts of Memphis… it was a long road. Everyday I’m like, ‘wow, how did I get here?’” (Holmes). Michael Oher could have chosen to not do anything, and he did when he first moved in with the Tuohys, when he let his grades and attitude fall is junior year of high school. His senior year however, he got his life on track again, passing his classes with A’s and B’s, got accepted into college, and did well enough with his football to be able to play for the NFL. Michael had chosen to not let how he grew up affect his future goals, and became successful because of …show more content…
To use an excuse such as a living environment, mental disability, or unforeseen circumstances to explain why someone turned out the way they did is not a valid argument because of what could have been done despite the excuses. Perry Smith and Richard (Dick) Hickock decided to make the decision to murder the Clutter family and ended up swinging from the gallows. Michael Oher and Temple Grandin were both looked at as people who would not become successful because of their backgrounds and mentalities, yet Oher became professional football player and Grandin received her doctorate in animal sciences. People can either choose to conform to what society sets around them because of who they are, or they can prove everyone wrong, whether it be in a good or bad way. However, it is still choices that ultimately affects how someone will be later on in life, no matter how they were raised or what they were born