WERE YOU EVER SOMEONE ELSE?

I THINK I WAS ME FROM THE GETGO AND THAT INVOLVES QUITE AN ELABORATE CONSTELLATION OF TENDENCIES WHICH ONE COULD LUMP TOGETHER AS PERSONALITY.  THIS PERSONALITY WAS THERE AND AVAILABLE AND A DOMINANT AND CONTROLLING INFLUENCE IN MY LIFE FROM THE MOMENT OF BIRTH.  I THINK LARGELY IT WAS COMPOSED OF GENETIC INPUTS.  THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME CONGENITAL ALTERATIONS THAT WERE EFFECTED DURING DEVELOPMENT AS A FOETUS BUT BY AND LARGE IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT PERSONALITY IS QUITE ELABORATELY DEFINED BY GENETIC MATERIAL.  AS TIME GOES ON AND A HISTORY OF THE INDIVIDUAL ACCRUES, SITUATIONAL INFLUENCES MAY ALTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF TENDENCIES SO THAT SOME ARE EXPRESSED MORE EASILY AND SOME ARE INHIBITED.  A GREAT DEAL OF BEHAVIOR WHICH MAY BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IN TERMS OF BEING ANTISOCIAL IS NO DOUBT PRESENT AT BIRTH AND IS INHIBITED EARLY ON BY EXPERIENCE.  MOST ANIMALS STRIVE TO GET ALONG.  THEY DON'T MAKE AN EFFORT TO MAKE THEIR LIVES MORE DIFFICULT.  BUT SOME PEOPLE INHERIT A MORE DIFFICULT CONSTELLATION OF BEHAVIORS IN THEIR PERSONALITY AND THESE PEOPLE MAY STRUGGLE MORE AS YOUNGSTERS, THEY MAY STRUGGLE MORE THEIR ENTIRE LIVES TO MAKE THEIR PERSONALITY MORE AMENABLE TO OTHERS, OR AT LEAST USEFUL TO THEMSELVES.  I THINK THAT NURTURE IN THE EARLY YEARS PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MODIFYING THE TENDENCIES OF SELF BUT IT IS A VERY WELL-DEFINED SELF THAT THEY SET ABOUT TO MODIFY.


I DIDN'T PICK TO BE ME.  I DON'T THINK YOU PICKED TO BE YOU.  HOWEVER USED TO BEING OURSELVES WE MAY HAVE BECOME, IT IS LARGELY A MATTER OF LIVING IN A HOUSE SOMEBODY ELSE DESIGNED AND FINDING WAYS TO BE HAPPY AND PRODUCTIVE WITH WHAT WE HAVE INHERITED.