what makes a man: his experiences or his origin?

We're all born with different temperments. Those are the building blocks of who we are. If we could remain children all our lives and deaf, blind and dumb, we would be what those temperments started. We would never change, we would never grow. We would still be the same on the day we die as we were on the day we were born. Instead our lives are rich with experience. New sights, sounds and smells assualt us and we react and learn. The experiences are weighed and we begin to grow toward who we will be. A baby born into the world is helpless and has no real personality. Within 24 hours he learns how to evaluate and measure the things in his new world. First he learns how to express his needs by crying. If they are met adequetly he learns to repeat the procedure, if not he increases his volume or intensity until he gets what he wants. Then slowly he grows based on the things he has learned from his own experiences. As he gets older, each new experience gives him an opportunity to change. If those around him are critical, he incorporates that into his world, or if the family is more encouraging, he learns to find encouragement within himself. He learns to meet the world with what he has learned from others. I think the most difficult time for learning who you are and growing into that wonderful person comes at about 10-12 years. This is a time of challenge. A child challenges himself as he learns about life, but he is challenged by others who have not grown as he has. I feel that these critical years can make or break a person. This is when HE decides on the important things in his life. The help he receives (or doesn't receive) from those who love him shape the man. Where he came from can offer a challange, who his parents are can affect the opinions of others, but what he chooses to do with everthing within him is a choise. And what he presents to the world is who he is. I have seen children from wonderful, 'normal' homes turn out to be selfish, hateful adults that feel like the world owes them something and I have seen children from 'the wrong side of town' turn into loving, caring adults who want to reach out to the world in love. Origin creates a human being. Experience and his belief system helps him to become a man.

I agree with you.. For a person,where he comes from can't stand for the success he has achieved today, a true man need evperience to full his ideas,develop his manners and improve his responsibilities.Then there he becomes a mature man,preparing to challenge everything.

What's make a man... is his understanding of the human condition. His understanding of the meaning of life. His understanding of how nature works and the realisation that you must never interfere with nature. A man don't judge anyone and understand everyone. Now next question... How many such men are out there?

A person becomes the way they are because of experiences and origin. But the choices that the person makes: to be greedy or giving, to be selfish or selfless, are his or hers to make. Two people who are from the same family may become two completely different people. One may become a serial killer or rapist, while the other becomes a priest or nun or a teacher. I can say this, and it's a paraphrased quote I read somewhere. Something to the effect of this: Fortune creates monsters. People who are spoiled & taught that they can have any material thing or whatever they want tend to become real jerks who walk all over people to get what they want. People who are taught to work for what they want and to be honest and kind to others usually will be.

What makes a man who he is, are mainly his experiences. A good ole Christian family could have a child who turns out to be a warped Hitler-like person. It happens more often than you think. On the flip-side of things, it's not unheard of for a person born to a horrible family to turn out quite fine, with a heart of gold. It's all about the experiences and natural tendencies.

honestly,I really don't know now, at last teacher teach us what makes a man is mainly by his experiences. but now I worked.I found the man where he came from is very important to him. I have confused for long times. I only can try my best.

OF course where he came form had some influence in the early yearrs but as time goes by and learning new and different thinga and different ways of life thru failure and pulling up by the boot straps makes the man a better person.

Hi diannebcrs! I do agree with you that we can't judge a person from where he came from or who his family is or for what he looks like. I think that the experiences and all the lessons he had in life, good or bad, are what build his character. His family however, poor or bad they are or how dysfunctional his/her family maybe have contributed to his character as well in my point of view. Why? It is because of the elssons that you may have learned form your family, the good you imitate and the bad you see you discard. And in the outside world, you pick up bits and pieces of information, you have experience, you learn from other people's experience..and all the lessons learned will make you stronger and better as a person. That is what makes a man, the character that has been molded with all the lessons in life. Just my thoughts. take care and have a nice day. :)

To a degree I agree with you in terms of his experiences. However, two different people can experience the same thing and react differently or see the situation totally different. I think it is more about what the man chooses to take away from his experiences or how the man sees the situation rather than his experiences themselves. This can come from family and the community but I beleive it also comes from the nature that the man is born with.