Submitting another GRE issue essay for review

[Grewal]

People's behavior is largely determined by forces not of their own making.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

 

People invetibaly are shaped by external circumstances, as is also said by psychologists. You see every day how one automatically becomes rowdy and energetic at a football stadium, clearly influenced by the thousands of foot-thumping football fans cheering for their teams. On the other hand, one acquires an air of civility when attending a ball or a royal event. These examples clearly show how one is a slave to one’s surroundings.

If we look at children and see how they develop, it is often seen that the offspring of educated, white-collar workers, whether they are scientists, businessmen or engineers, will inevitably turn out to be responsible and thoughtful citizens. A child surrounded by logical, thoughtful parents, who focus on building positive traits, will be inclined to exercise his or her mind. On the other hand, if you look at the children of working class people or those from broken families, you will see a distinct pattern emerging, wherein the child will not be too keen on going to school or that he does not value relationships. Why would he when he has never seen his parents valuing theirs. No wonder psychologists emphasise the importance of providing a positive, encouraging environment for children.

Our surroundings influence us in myriad ways. Not just individuals but whole societies are impacted by forces not of their own making. For instance, if you live in a fair, free and just society, you would be more prone to treating men and women fairly, but if you have grown up in a patriarchal society, you would tend to sideline women. You would not think twice before judging a woman on what she wears or what she eats, drinks or who she goes out with, a thing for which you would be scorned in the West. Further, it is often seen that people in violent areas, where there is little respect for the law, tend to be less civil than those living in more respectable places.

However, one cannot totally assume that this argument is infallible. Clearly, you can do a lot to regulate your behaviour. History is replete with examples of men who have fought against the odds and the circumstances to change the world. Nelson Mandela lived in a country afflicted with aparthied, but he chose to battle this ideology, inspired by the works of nonviolent and fair-minded leaders like Mahatma Gandhi.

Even then, it is clear how forces beyond our control heavily influence our behavior. If we recognise this and work towards correcting this bias of ours, we can definitely become better human beings.