We may not be responsible for the world that created our minds, but we can take responsibility for the mind with which we create our world.
Gabor MateRead
In the real world there is no nature vs. nurture argument, only an infinitely complex and moment-by-moment interaction between genetic and environmental effects
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that both genetic factors and environmental influences interact continuously to shape individuals.
Gabor Mate's quote suggests that the debate over whether nature (genetics) or nurture (environment) influences human development is overly simplistic. Instead, it highlights the intricate and ongoing relationship between our biological makeup and the surroundings we experience, indicating that both play a vital role in shaping who we are at every moment.
Themes
NatureNurtureGeneticsEnvironmentInteraction
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about child development in a psychology class.
More from Gabor Mate
All quotes →A hurt is at the center of all addictive behaviors. . . . The wound may not be as deep and the ache not as excruciating, and it may even be entirely hidden—but it’s there. As we’ll see, the effects of early stress or adverse experiences directly shape both the psychology and the neurobiology of addiction in the brain
Gabor MateRead
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