Enviromental Plea

[BeetleJuice]

Since Jeff posted his question on the insanity plea I thoought I would carry it one step further.
Does your enviroment have an impact on your social behavior?
Because your mother didn't breast feed you, does this mean crimes you commit aren't "your" fault but because of how you were raised?

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[weldordave]

It is true that you are a product of your enviroment, but you are also a human being. This means you can reason and have some (varying) degree of logic which you can use to change and adapt to societal norms no matter what your upbringing or training has been. You cannot blame anyone else for your actions, in as much as you cannot give somebody else 100% credit for your achievements. It is all YOU and your abilities. My wife breaks into tears when she hears stories of my childhood. It was pretty bad. That does not give me an "out" for any bad thing I do. I am quite involved in local politics, schools, PTA, etc."I ams who I ams" (Popeye) "That which does not kill me, makes me stronger" (?) Those that blame others for their actions come from the shallow end of the gene pool and are destined for a life of tragedy. I love the English phrase "Chin up-- Carry on" likened to the American "Face to the wind". In summation to all these catch phrases; you make your own bed and you have to lie in it.

[amr]

I totally agree with weldordave. What makes us human is our free will to choose. If you choose to do a thing, you are equally capable of choosing not to do a thing. What would be the point of laws and a crimminal justice system if we have no control over our actions?

By the way, it was Friedrich Nietzsche who wrote "that which does not kill us makes us stronger."


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[paulgro]

I can only speak for the U.S. it seems in the last 30 years we've become a nation of blaming everybody but me attitude. Why take responsibility for what I do when I can blame someone or something else. We have to start taking responsibility for our actions like we once did...

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[Phreakmeister]

I'm probably surprising you here Dave, but I fully agree with you

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[aclu14]

And me as well

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[weldordave]

Weldordave has died of a heart attack!
Thanks for the memory jogger, amr.

[Idnew]

I agree you have choices and what you choose to do with your life is your choice. If your parents are alcoholics do you have to be? NO especially if you see what it did to them. I know, my dad was one so I chose not to follow in that direction. You can be raised one way but it is still your choice to change if you so desire. This blaming others is BS.

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[CBranski]

I've had this same conversation with more liberal friends who believe that a "bad environment" can be used as an excuse, and it relieves me to see that a lot of people are now beginning to realise that you alone are responsible for your actions. This "not my fault" nonsense has to stop. Fpr example, I can see the Miller Brewery from my kitchen window-should I use that as an excuse for me drinking a lot? Of course not.

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[cleoeo]

I'm not letting bad parents off that easily. If kids are raised with the wrong values they will probably turn out to be trouble. Not every time certainly, but pretty often. This isn't a legal excuse for future criminal behaviour, but oftentimes it does explain it. Some poor kid who grows up with no Dad and a crackhead Mom will most likely have poor social attitudes and a penchant for criminal behaviour.

[DV8]

Lemme see, let's put it this way.

Very often people do not have the childhood they dream of but they dont all go out breaking laws.
Like the 'Insanity Plea' it's just a cop out.
If it was the fact daddy never played football with them or mummy never hugged them when they went to college and kiss them good bye which caused them to perform criminal acted then it must be a mental problem; their lawyers should suggest for them to plead insane. They can blame their upbringing all they like, but in a confined enviroment till they are ready to behave appropriately with the rest of the society.

[Dizbuster]

I think at times "enviromental" factors can play a role in our understanding and ability to make, choices. If you were "raised" in an enviroment, that taught you that anger and aggression was the way to deal with problems, then you are much more likely to "choose" an action that follows that "conditioning".
Not that it should completely "excuse" violent and destructive behavior, but it should be taken into account, as far as the best method to prevent someone from "repeating" such offences.

If we are looking at insanity as a defense, I think that, since 1980, we have gone too far in the other direction, in so far as the description given as to what "constitutes" insanity is nearly impossible to obtain. For the mentally ill, it is not the lack of being able to determine right or wrong, but the ability to distinguish reality from fantasy, or to function in society, that is the real determinent factor.

[~wildangel~]

This is a hard question to answer...I think the way a child is raised does make a difference in the childs life...

I think things in your childhood can traumatize you and you can become an alcoholic or whatever...why risk it, people should absolutly love there kids and huggle there babies for hours so they grow up feeling loved and secure, and I brestfeed because I feel like bonding with him because I think having all of my love and nurturing will make him grow to be a nurturing person...

Maybe im wrong, I could be, but I hope im not.....every mom probobly says this stuff until they have teenagers:lol