Learning, A Wonder of the World? Is It Nature or Nurture or their Interplay?
The other day, my friend Narayan Kumar in his inimitable way shared a nice post wondering how some of us take to learning. Not the grateful or graceful or stoic kind that accepts the regimented activity of our school and college days.
Sixty & Sustained Steps to Scholarship
A friend of his, aged 60, was learning something new in a formal way. The friend's wife, herself on the threshold of sixty was pursuing a management course. Both, students at the University of London.
Actively Ageing
Narayan had been wondering how his friend and of course the wife too, gravitated towards learning new things even as they aged. Interestingly, after some months, he also happened to meet the friend's mother.
Apples Don't Fall Far from the Tree
Narayan was amazed at the 85+ lady's zest to keep enriching herself. She kept herself active, learning new things, doing new things. The stuff many of us less than half her age may easily baulk at, as 'Too hard at our age!'.
Not At Sixes & Sevens in Old Age
At 70, the young lady had started learning French, started writing a book in her 80s and so on. Likely that all along her life, she may have been learning something or the other. It is also possible that she may have got the inclination for this, after 60. This triggered one's rumination along the following lines.
Embedded or External?
As a species, we are (constantly evolving) products of 'Embedded' Nature, the Environment's Nurture and not surprisingly an eclectic interplay of the two. I also recollect reading that there are some characteristics that are genetic. Researchers a decade ago identified a gene, which if triggered 'makes' an alcoholic what he/ she is. Some of us are more pre-disposed to do certain things than others.
Phenomenal, Alcoholics Anonymous & its Efforts
Of course, there are other characteristics too that could be similarly wired. But these inherent influences/ tendencies may also be or need to be 'changed/ triggered' with 'intervention' & sufficient effort. Imagine the remarkable contribution of Alcoholics Anonymous! Carefully curating the ability to resist temptations, especially deep-rooted genetically triggered ones.
Lab Mice & Learning
Some elements of our make-up, like intelligence, had long been thought to be inherited, with some folks or races considered more adept than others. The belief was that you either have it or you don't. However, some lab experiments have shown that the progeny of even the less intelligent mice in the initial generations can get smarter over time with the right interventions. A wiki link on Heritability of IQ makes for interesting reading.
Learning, Also A Learnt Trait!
Down the line, the nth generation of the rats whose ancestors (before intervention) had been dumb, started getting as smart as the 'kids of brainier rats'. So, Nurturing and the Neighbourhood (ambience) also play a key role. The above-mentioned friend's wife (assuming her parents did not have any particular fancy for continuous learning) had somehow imbibed the spirit of her husband and her mother-in-law.
Atmosphere of Learning
The ambience around us has a huge influence on us. It need not be in your face. We need not be forcibly inundated with or indoctrinated with any particular message. The vibes around us may be sufficient. As in this case, a family that is intent on continuous learning.
The Last 'Out of Africa', the First to Breast the Tape
Even as we ponder the above, this bit of data flashes to mind. The world's best short and long-distance runners seem so obviously 'Out of Africa'! So, Nature is surely something!
Let's Age Well, Maybe Better, With Learning
We may be 'triggered' by our genetic material (Nature) or 'influenced' by elements of our Neighbourhood eco-system (Nurture) or an interplay of the two. Here's hoping that more of us, irrespective of age or any other variable, somehow find the vein of continuous learning, somehow, 'Learn to Learn'. Perhaps nothing could be more golden as our hair turns silver.
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