tabula rasa

i've always believed that human beings are born with a clean slate....or tabula rasa as some would call it. so basically, who we are is the product of:

1. the experiences that we have gone through
2. the lessons that were instilled in us
3. the knowledge we gain
4. the perceptions/beliefs that we derive from all of the above.

many would argue that our fate has been pre-determined at birth based on geneology...astrology...and whatever else in between. granted...there are certain genes that we cannot run from. i can't roll my tongue...i have brown eyes...i have black hair...i am short...and i only have my parents/ancestors to thank for that. but why don't i speak chinese or eat vegetables? i'd say its because i was never brought up to.

i believe that Freud said it best when he came up with the theory that one's personality is largely determined by their upbringing. if i was trained to be submissive and obedient since young and that i should never talk to strangers...i would probably grow up being exactly just that...someone who is shy and reserved. if i was born into a muslim family then i would generally grow up as a muslim and adhere to its faith. if i was born into an english speaking family...i would naturally be fluent in english.

as children, we absorb more information than we do as adults. we unknowingly absorb and process values without questioning and as we grow up, we are generally supposed to sift through it and discard those that we feel is wrong. so then comes the ethics. the ability to separate what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad. based on new experiences and new knowledge we should be able to make calculated and informed decisions. we should also be able to fully accept the consequences of our actions.

in the end...the swing of the pendulum is determined by the individual. do we want to be the person that we were brought up to be or do we want to change? do i want to eat vegetables and speak cantonese? do i want to be a christian? do i want to be the musician my mother always wanted me to be? i know the pros and cons...i know the consequences of my actions...i make my own decisions. the first 13 years of my life were governed by my parents and they were basically my guide book. now that i'm old enough to think for myself and independent enough to support myself...the rest of my life is governed by no one else but me.

....and that's just my two cents