My Determinisms

My dad was the high school all-star athlete.  He would make it onto nearly every newspaper published in his hometown of Battle Lake Minnesota and his outstanding performances in athletics created high expectations for his future, and for future generations in the Carr family.  Breaking the record for the most wins in a wrestling season lasting twenty-years, participating in many different sports requiring a wide-range of skills, being a four time state champion, and earning an induction into the North Dakota State Hall of Fame brought all eyes onto his children.  My mother was on the other side of the spectrum.  She was the math wiz who was at the top of her class with a bright future and hard work ethic.  Though my mom could have done almost anything, she worked her way through college earning a degree in accounting, later receiving a masters degree in business management and paving her way to a rewarding career. 

Both of my parents had an impressive resume and left a mark in their own fields in their own way.  So I wondered what I would do and where I would go.  I wondered what path was determined for me and what would influence or inspire me.  My whole childhood was an endless trial of tests to see how I would fit into my parents large, looming footsteps.  I tried and trudged along in different sports, worked through the academics of calculus, statistics, biology, psychology, chemistry, accounting, and still came up with more questions than answers.  Through these experiences I would wonder if I was any closer to what I should do or if I was only closer to realizing that I may not be just like my parents.  That there was no genetically or biologically determined path for me to follow.  I could try whatever I wanted but there was not a set direction for me to follow or a perfect ideal to chase.

So I found my passions, interests and goals through experiences and mistakes, but also from biological and genetic predispositions or just gut-feelings.  I found a passion for music through playing or singing in ensembles, a major in Geography with a pursuit towards city planning, and a interest in exploring environmental issues.  As a result, how science has shaped my life is a fuzzy question.  There does not seem to be a direct, reductionist answer with a few causes or a determinist solution contributed to purely genetics, culture or experiences.  I just have my past experiences, culture, and surroundings that could all have contributed to my identity.  So I am not the all-star athlete or the math prodigy, but I think that that is okay.