Hate: Nature or Nurture?

War, discrimination, violence. 

Where does this come from?

Where do we learn such disgusting behavior?

Some think we are born innocent, a blank slate. Others think there are those born with demons, incurable, unable to promote peace. 

While anger can be considered a chemical imbalance we can’t control in some cases, I believe in general we can control how we react to what we feel. 

Anger is an intense, but natural emotion. While everyone is born with the ability to feel anger, it’s the environment that teaches us how to control our anger. We also learn many of our behaviors from our parents and will instinctively imitate them when we are young. That being said, as we grow older we are able to develop our own opinions, self control, and can then branch out from our parents. 

But where does violence come from?

I don’t think anyone is born wanting to commit acts of violence; I think we are heavily influenced by our surroundings. If we grow up in a violent setting or an unloving environment, we tend to be more likely to act out as opposed to growing up in a loving, nurturing environment where kindness and care are promoted. That being said, a lot of people are able to separate themselves from the environments they grew up in. If you grow up in an environment that teaches you to act out in anger and hatred, take this as a learning opportunity and grow from others’ mistakes. You can surround yourself with people who encourage peace and tranquility in your life, creating a healthy support system. Focus on making goals for yourself and work towards what makes you happy. Just because you grew up in one type of environment doesn’t mean you cannot create a new one for yourself.