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Comment by craigmccaskill | Hacker News Reader

Eloquently put, but not really true as there are definitely traits and behaviors which are inherited via DNA.

http://sciencelife.uchospitals.edu/2010/06/14/primed-to-expl...

One of any number of examples.

Me saying blood doesn't carry character is like me saying we don't think with our hearts, like the ancient greeks thought we did. It doesn't mean I think we don't have a brain. It means I think bloodletting is disgusting.

'Blood carries' is obviously true. I have the same color skin as my parents. The concept is not archaic, intellectually offensive or dangerous. It's also in no way connected to racism.

Blood carrying what it physically carries is a fact no one is disputing. The concept that is archaic is that people strongly resemble their parents in character, because they are birth parents. The reality is that the nurture of the parents plays a much bigger role than genetic lineage. It is not uncommon for people to punish someone for a relatives actions, basically for something the relative has no power over. This is as unethical as punishing someone for being of a certain race, something the person has no control over and something that has no presently measurable impact.

Those are two different concepts. Your first argument is that nature has no bearing on your character - I'm not sure I've seen that supported by studies, I thought twin studies seemed to show differently? Your second argument is that one should not punish a person for their relative's action - which seems to be totally off-topic.

These are related concepts since if violent blood could run through a persons veins, the person can be judged as more violent than they are.

> I sit here, armed with this knowledge, and I think to myself quite shamefully, You can take the man out of Syria but you can't take Syria out of the man.

Seems like author is punishing self for some relatives faults. There is absolutely no reason to feel shame in this case, in my mind.

I suffer from mild clinical depression, as do many of the people in my family. I agree with the general point you're making, but 'blood carries' some things that affect your personality.

Though I wouldn't say it would carry enough of a personality trait to be able to use the term seriously.

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