Nature or Nurture(not the debate)

[Thinka]

I would just like to know: Is it in our genes to care about what others think?? Is it inherent in us to look for aproval the way we do?? Like people that buy nice things to show off, act a certain fake way to look cool or whatever, or pursue a certain education for social status purposes.

 

Or would you say these are more socially learned behaviours and that we're conditioned into being like this??

 

I'm asking this because I feel like the secret to true happiness is to simple not care what others think. However, I'm not sure if stopping to care is even possible.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mrs Zeta]

To answer your questions in reverse order, yes it is possible to stop caring for others, but this is not the secret of true happiness. The secret is not to see happiness as the main target of your life. The main target is pleasure or satisfaction, not happiness.

 

Our genes code for the biological basis of our behaviour but the rest is socially acquired. We all try to better ourselves one way or another, and this is because there is a deep ultimate biological reason: to find partners and procreate.

[Phi for All]

I'm asking this because I feel like the secret to true happiness is to simple not care what others think.

The same desire for approval that fuels the clothing industry is also what makes you strive for better grades and improve yourself as a person. Some is good, too much is not so good. It's like pride, you can take it too far.

 

Caring what others think is actually a cornerstone for our society's model. Communication and cooperation coupled with high intelligence and opposable thumbs are what gives us mastery of the planet currently. We would all be in huge trouble if no one cared what others thought. Perhaps the key is to consider what others think but don't let that be the only thing you base decisions on.

[Essay]

I would just like to know: Is it in our genes to care about what others think?? Is it inherent in us to look for aproval the way we do??

 

It's because we are mammals. Yes, there is a big genetic part to all of this. The social aspects are certainly true (noted above), and much more complexity develops in a society (vs. just a family); but all mammals have brains oriented to care about something.

 

If you google the term, "mirror neurons" ...alone (with the quotes), or with any of a number of behaviour-related terms, I'm sure you'll find it interestering and enlightening.

[Ophiolite]

Matt Ridley's book, Nature v Nurture, is an excellent treatment of this topic.

[Mrs Zeta]

Caring what others think is actually a cornerstone for our society's model. Communication and cooperation coupled with high intelligence and opposable thumbs are what gives us mastery of the planet currently.

 

You can gave communication and co-operation without having 'care'. In a way, computers communicate and co-operate between them but they don't care about anything.....