2009
Jun

The Redwood Man

I just finished watching another episode of Law and Order. This one was about a half black, half Asian kid that was a product of his mother being raped. Without ever knowing his father, he ends up raping and murdering Asian women. And while he was growing up with his Asian side of the family in China Town, he was always belittled and insulted not only by people outside the family, but also in the family. So, did he commit these crimes because he had the genes of his criminal father or was it because of his environment growing up?

The more I think about genes and whether or not they influence our actions, I have to believe they somehow do. However, our environment plays a big role in helping us become what we choose to become. About genetics, for example, how can we explain the instinct of a baby to suck on a nipple and hold the breath underwater? Some of our actions are so tightly sown into our genetics that we no longer think about them; like coughing. We cough because we want to expel something from our body, but I never thought about the actual step by step act of coughing while I was doing it…

I’m convinced though, that our environment plays a much bigger role in our becoming than our genetics. Well, come to think about it, our genetics influence the way others look at us and that over a long period of time can cause any person to create new behavioral patterns, whether good or bad. Our environment is not just people, it is also resources available to us that will influence the way we eat and dress.

I can’t think of anything more important for children than to have an environment and the resources necessary to help them succeed in life. This is why I prefer to help the youngest. Because even though it takes more time and dedication to help a young person, it is easier than to have to fight and fix already learned behaviors. I keep saying I’m going to make something out of The Bullen Foundation. Maybe this is the year it happens.

About the title: it’s been a while since I read about redwood trees, but they didn’t become simply because of one aspect of their everyday life. It is the seed, the water, the sun and the rest of the plants and trees around them that in time transformed a tree into a redwood tree.

Tags: Antonio, asian kid, asian side, asian women, behavioral patterns, Bullen, china town, dedication, felonies, genes, genetics, instinct, law and order, nipple, parents, period of time, when was the last time, young person

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2008
May

Is It In The Genes?

Filed under: A Dollar for a Thought

I just finished watching the first season of the reality show “The Apprentice.” It’s a T.V. show about 16 candidates competing for an apprentice position with Donald Trump, one of the most successful Realtors in the United States.

Several times Donald asked the apprentices if they thought they had the genes for becoming a leader. I’ve always dismissed that thought, but now I’m wondering. Could it be possible that certain people are born with gifts that go beyond physical abilities? Like the way certain people process thoughts, the reason why babies know to hold their breath underwater and to suck on a nipple, and being able to learn sciences at faster rates than most?

I know what my gift is: I have a great mind when it comes to imagination and creation. This is something I know I can use well in business, where the true rule of the game is to make a profit by solving problems. I also know that my gift alone is not enough to be a good businessman. I still have/had to figure out how to persuade people, learn accounting, use a computer, etc. In other words, I still have to learn how to use the tools that would make me the greatest businessman of all times. It’s the same with being an artist. I still have to learn how to play instruments and write music.

I am lucky to have discovered my gift. Something tells me a lot of people don’t get to do that. The question is: do all of us have gifts we are born with? And are these gifts genetic? I guess the answer to the second question in many ways is the opposite answer to the question “do you believe in God?” Many would say our gifts come from above and not others.

I realize I am leaving a lot of questions unanswered and I do want to know the answers for these questions. I found a good article that explains why parents don’t have total control over how their children will turn out. I still need to research more, but if this is true, maybe it will help me understand why I’ve never liked going to church. Even though my parents forced me to go every week. My brothers never complained and many people even if forced, after 21 years of going to church every Sunday they end up with something. I moved to the U.S. and never stepped foot on a church again. It never became a habit, but maybe some day I will go if I want to.

Is being a businessman coded in the genes of Donald Trump or is simply from watching his father when he was a kid? I don’t care, but I do want to know more about my genetics. Figuring out won’t really do anything in terms of where I’m going, but it does help in answering where I came from.