Christmas Lottery
Originally Posted by Turtlenecks View Post
But yeah, since there isn't really any science to back either sides and it's just our opinions, I think we've probably taken this as far as it can go.

Actually this may surprise you, but BoredPayne isn't the first person to ask these questions.

Google "identity development" in to scholar and then you can read some papers.
Originally Posted by Boredpayne View Post
If I grew up in a poorer environment, would I be a fundamentally different person? Would I not be me, or even relate to me?

This is one of the only questions I feel I can answer at least somewhat adequately.

There was a well-known story about a Ukranian girl who lived with dogs pretty much from birth (I don't know the exact details). She behaves like a dog as much as other dogs do, can't speak, and can barely accomplish anything that a human can do.

It's quite clear from this that the environment in which you are brought up shapes who you are more than genetics do. Just like the first rings in the trunk of a thousand year-old tree remain the same shape as they were when the tree was a year old, your experiences in the first part of your life will shape who you are more than anything else.

In my opinion.
[19:39] <Birdflu> I'm just sad that I can't give myself one
[19:39] <Birdflu> I'd have a great time
Originally Posted by ImmortalCow View Post
Actually this may surprise you, but BoredPayne isn't the first person to ask these questions.

Google "identity development" in to scholar and then you can read some papers.

So? For every paper he could bring up, I could find another two to argue the exact opposite. Given that it's a social science, it's unlikely that there's any consensus amongst academics.

That's in general for this topic. Ray and I weren't even discussing identity development, we were just arguing semantics. If you weren't so keen to jump on every sentence I write in these forums, then you might've noticed that.
I think everything makes you what you are.

I strongly believe your family, friends, envoirment, even climate effects what you are in some way. You can have different views of the world from the different places that you come from, for example, If you are very rich, you will look down on the world as a dark, dirty, ugly place because everyone else is not as "good" as you, and if you are poor, you will look up to people, and have role models and values. I come from a middle-class family in America, but I have been fucked over countless times by different people, and it makes me who I am. I try to be different than the bad people in the world, in turn trying to help it.

These are just my thoughts on the subj, but in conclusion I think everything has to do with it, from your surroundings to your morals you have learned from them.
Veni , Vidi , Vici
I swear to god Turtlenecks and Cow are always looking to prove eachother wrong. It is always entertaining.

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Last edited by Tinerr; Feb 3, 2013 at 10:48 AM.
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Originally Posted by Turtlenecks View Post
So? For every paper he could bring up, I could find another two to argue the exact opposite. Given that it's a social science, it's unlikely that there's any consensus amongst academics.

That's in general for this topic. Ray and I weren't even discussing identity development, we were just arguing semantics. If you weren't so keen to jump on every sentence I write in these forums, then you might've noticed that.

?

I was quoting from this post
Originally Posted by Turtlenecks View Post
That's where we differ. You believe those traits identify our identities, I believe our our experiences identify our traits which identify our identities.

Reading that out loud, the word's lost all meaning, lol.

But yeah, since there isn't really any science to back either sides and it's just our opinions, I think we've probably taken this as far as it can go.

Traits != experiences

If you read some papers on identity development you will understand pretty quickly.

It's a pretty developed field you know...
You shouldn't decide "there's too many to read so I won't read any".
Develop would've been the better word for me to use, rather than identify. Experiences develop traits.

As for you assuming I haven't done any research into the topic, I have. What I said regarding the abundance of case studies and papers on the topic for both sides is valid, you just ignored that point because you know that too. But, instead of just accepting that and moving on, like anybody over the age of 15 would, you act like a dick and berate me.

You shouldn't decide "Oh, I've got nothing to add? I'll just harass him".

Originally Posted by Regent101 View Post
I swear to god Turtlenecks and Cow are always looking to prove eachother wrong. It is always entertaining.

Funny thing this time though, is that we actually agree on the topic. We both think it's probably a combination of our experiences (nurture) and genetics (nature). I don't know why he decided to come on all agressive with this one, but I'm not just going to roll over and let him swing his dick around.
Last edited by Turtlenecks; Feb 3, 2013 at 10:40 AM.
Originally Posted by Turtlenecks View Post
Funny thing this time though, is that we actually agree on the topic. We both think it's probably a combination of our experiences (nurture) and genetics (nature). I don't know why he decided to come on all agressive with this one, but I'm not just going to roll over and let him swing his dick around.

It's because it's not a matter of opinion. It is a combination of nature and nurture.

I don't know why you are reducing centuries of scientific study to opinions...
Though I hate to do it, I must side with cow on this. Despite the laws of entropy your body is constantly trying to rebuild itself. The human body strives to be the same. It is true that each experience I have does add new information but that doesn't necessarily change me it just presents the prompt for change. This can not be prevented, even the lack of an experience is one in itself. However, I must decide to change for change to happen. In a number of years I will probably have a different method of thought, but only because of small choices I have made. In a number of years my body will have also deteriorated due to aberrations in cell growth as they repopulate. Humans have gotten used to this process and called in aging but I think we mistaken presume that aging changes you by force against your will. Although, strictly speaking, every month or so you should have replaced most of the cells in your body, but it is a constant process, its not like we wake up on the 3rd of every month and shed, we do it little by little, every day.