The Other Wes Moore Blog 3 (Chapter 7 - 8, Epilogue & Afterword)

Page 126: Are we really only products of our environments? This was our original blog post. Revise/rewrite that post now that you have finished the book.

As we come to a close in the reading of The Other Wes Moore, we have seen the many fazes that both the author and the other Wes went through. No matter the circumstances of their lives, they would try to come out on the other side. But for this week’s blog, we are going to revisit the question: Are we really only products of our environments? and to revisit the thoughts that I had about this question. 

                        

("Wes Moore" via Kansas State University )                           ("Wes More" via Kansas State University)

But before we do that, we are going to be looking at the book one last time. The Other Wes Moore is a perfect example of how everyone’s differences can change the course of our lives. In the grand scheme of things, both stories of the Wes’s are very similar, like the same shared name, the same lived city, and the lack of a father figure, but in reality, both of these stories couldn't be even more different from each other. While both of their childhoods are somewhat the same, they are drastically different environments, so neither man would end up on the same path as the other. Thus, while reading the last couple of chapters of the book, one quote that stood out to me is on page 180, where the author admits that while reading this book, he couldn't understand why both of their paths were so separated in such a drastic way, even though Wes wrote every detail that he could about the circumstances that caused the things to happen to them in their lives. This goes to show how clear it is to see more than ever to know that the little details count towards something. In addition, it can be seen that the truth of the major differences between both Wes’s comes from some of the small moments, like, for example, the relationship that they share with their mothers. Throughout the book, the author’s mother, from the very beginning, was fully devoted to giving the best she could to her children so that they were able to succeed further than she did in her life. With her presence being as constant as it was, it was able to navigate the author’s life in a different direction but also in the right direction, allowing him to go through recruitment when things in the author’s life became wild. Moreover, in the other, Wes’s mother is seen to be present, but she was only there physically. It is shown to the reader that there is not much of a description of his mother being involved in his life and turning a blind eye to the things her son does, but she is praying and assuming for the best in her son regardless of the situation that is before her. Furthermore, by no means are we going to blame mothers; at the end of the day, they are also a byproduct of their environments and genetics. 

One thing that stayed true as I was reading this book was that the actions that both Wes Moore’s took were a direct reflection of the environments they wanted to live in and the people who supported them along the way. Even though there were many people in the book who tried to influence their lives in a more positive way, for other Wes, it was completely different for him. In addition, what I originally stood for in the original post on this question still remains the same because human nature and the destinies that come with it are something that we absorb like sponges. And I think it definitely shapes us in ways that are both on an environmental and genetic level, and it even goes beyond things like experiences, expectations, community, etc. All of those factors are actually ingrained in our environment. When it comes to time to really look at the whole picture, it boils down to two things that determine a person’s life: their genetic makeup and the environments that surround them. Now, with this in mind, we can look at this phenomenon from a deeper fundamental issue and the questions that come along with it. And the question is this: are we the ones in control over the outcomes that happen in our lives, or is our destinies already have been written for us? 

One can argue that the answer is yes, but in terms of the control that we have over our lives, it is a direct byproduct of the decisions that we make in our day-to-day lives. But this very thing requires as much information as possible and the beliefs that are developed from all external sources with mixing in our genes. And that every decision that is made by us is a life-altering decision, while in hindsight, yes, we are constantly making the decisions necessary to be able to better navigate our lives; therefore, we have full autonomy in making those said decisions, and they are informed by a multitude of forces that none of us have control over. This is the very instance where these two opposing ideas can be true at the same time. And that is one of the wonders of life—to know that every move we make is fundamentally connected to everything else in existence. There will never be anyone who has a straightforward answer to this very question, but it will remain one of the world's unanswered questions. And we are all here by mere chance, so we should start appreciating the small things in life because this is the one life that we get to make something of ourselves. 

("25 Neil deGrasse Tyson Quotes That'll Change Your Worldview" via Your Dictionary)

("Neil deGrasse Tyson Quotes" via AZ Quotes)



Sources:

1. Gunner, Jennifer. “25 Neil deGrasse Tyson Quotes That’ll Change Your Worldview.” YourDictionary, YOURDICTIONARY, 16 Feb. 2022, www.yourdictionary.com/articles/neil-degrasse-tyson-quotes.

2. “Top 25 Quotes by Neil DEGRASSE Tyson (of 764): A-Z Quotes.” AZ Quotes, www.azquotes.com/author/14904-Neil_deGrasse_Tyson.

3. The Other WESMOORE - Kansas State University, www.k-state.edu/ksbn/docs/Wes_Moore_Guide.pdf