FEMI TAIWO ON MONDAY: NATURE VS NURTURE – THE CASE FOR NATURE
STRATEGY WITH FEMI TAIWO ON MONDAY
Michael is a first class chemical engineering graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria, and a PhD holder in same discipline from the University of Arkansas, United States. He works in a multinational energy giant in the United States.
The Case for Nature
Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another. – Juneval
The path of nature is wisdom. Nature knows the most effortless way to accomplish its purposes. The quickest way to gain wisdom is not to go against nature, but to study it and follow its dictates. This is how mankind has advanced. Science is knowledge gained through observation of nature. Civilization rests and is propelled by this knowledge. This is what the scientific field of bio mimicry is all about: copying Mother Nature. For instance, we look at the way birds fly and construct the airplane. Wisdom.
Why must we follow nature’s dictates? Relative to our life expectancy, the age of the universe is infinite. Life’s enduring existence is proof of the sagacity of nature’s laws. Life is in harmony because it follows nature’s laws. Without these universal laws, the world, as we know it, would not exist. As such, anyone in accordance with these eternal laws finds longevity, success and peace. This is the natural order of things. The path of nature leads to success and incidentally, is also the path of least resistance. Any other route is unnatural, forced and involves costly trade-offs to be successful. Look at the way fish glide through the ocean. Effortless. Look at the way eagles soar. Effortless. Look at the trees grow. Effortless. That is nature at its best.
A cat shouldn’t try to bark. It’s unnatural. A cat trainer may attain some measure of success in teaching a cat how to bark. But the cat would never win a barking contest amongst dogs. Nature has conferred barking to dogs. The wise thing for a cat to do is follow nature’s dictate. A cat that wants to win therefore should look for a meowing contest, not a barking one.
In the same way, a turkey shouldn’t try to soar. That is the exclusive preserve of eagles. If a turkey says because I am bird and the eagle is a bird I should be able to do what the eagle does, then that turkey is set for a world of disappointment. Nature has dictated what the turkey can do and soaring isn’t one of them. It is silly to think you can motivate a turkey to go against nature.
The difficulty in transposing the previous examples to us is that man is different. Compared to an animal, man has a breathtaking array of abilities. Man is the crown of creation. He is the most advanced and most developed of all creation. So it is easy to believe that what applies to cats and turkeys doesn’t apply to us. Don’t be deceived. Man is an animal, a higher animal, but an animal nonetheless. And man is subject to nature’s timeless laws as are all things in the physical universe.
Nature has gifted each person with abilities to be successful in a number of chosen fields. Some are made to be painters and some philosophers. If a born painter is trying for philosophy, she will struggle, lifelong. Any success attained in philosophy will be paved with blood, sweat and tears. What’s more? She will never reach the heights of a Plato or an Aristotle. Why? Nature pre-selects winners in a field by doling out abilities to be successful in that field. It’s never wise to go against the grain of nature.
I can never be a star basketball player. If I have a great coach and I work hard, I can be a better basketball player i.e. better than I am right now but a star basketball player, I will never be. Why? I have neither the height nor lift. I am not built for success in basketball. Nature pre-defined the range of activities I can excel at and basketball isn’t one of them.
We made a case for nurture by positing that desire can move one from A to B. But what if B is not enough? Can nurture move us further? The answer is no. Nurture can make me a better player but never an NBA draft. Nature trumps nurture.
Are winners born or made? Clearly they are born. How do you train to be an Einstein? You either are or are not. The greatest scientists, philosophers, inventors and athletes are not made, they are born. Of course they need to work hard to bring out their true potential but the raw materials have to be there to start with. That’s why not all who are hard working reach the top. If they are not built for success, they will be good but never the best. For they fight an ever present uphill battle against nature.
Nature is overpowering. We are as powerless against our basic wiring as we are against natural disasters. We are pre-disposed. Every trait is genetic. Research has shown that even laziness is genetic! Some are better at applying effort than others because of innate wiring. This is a bitter pill to swallow but it is true. In fact, it is hard to say nurture determines success when we all know that most of the factors that affect success in life (e.g. IQ) are already decided before we were born!
Siding with nature answers a lot of questions even if those answers aren’t as comforting as siding with nurture. It answers why an Einstein cannot be replicated, why twins differ in abilities, why we prefer Math to Music. Nature pre-selects those who reside at the zenith. Intelligent quotient is inborn. Nurture can help you reach your potential but it cannot increase that potential.
Nature trumps nurture. Nature is enduring. It operates by timeless universal laws. It is not the nature of cats to bark or turkeys to soar. Similarly, it is not the nature of humans to excel at all things. Nature pre-defines what a particular individual can excel at. Nature trumps nurture.
We will wrap this up next time by seeing how we can profit from the nature/nurture dynamic.
This is very informative. Truly, Nature pre-defines what a particular individual can excel at. Nature trumps nurture. Can’t wait to read the concluding part. Well done.