Are we products of our environment or products of our expectations?

    

    The question “Are we a product of our environment or a product of our expectations?” is one that really makes you think about what shapes who we become. In The Other Wes Moore, Wes Moore delves deeper into this idea by telling the story of two men with the same name but very different lives. It’s a way to explore how our environment, our choices, and our dreams influence our path in life.

    To me, this question means asking whether we are primarily influenced by where we come from and the people around us, or by our own goals and dreams. I think both factors are important, but which has a bigger impact can change based on our unique experiences. Growing up, having a supportive family, friends, or mentors can give us a strong foundation and set high expectations for ourselves. But sometimes, the goals we set for ourselves, our inner drive, and self-confidence are what propel us forward, even if our environment tries to hold us back.

I feel like the way I grew up greatly affected who I am now. In my neighborhood in Costa Rica where I grew up until I was 14, I feel like it affected a lot of who I am, since I was always playing in my neighborhood, I met a lot of people and learned a lot of things. Now that I live in the United States and I see how children grow up here, it is very different from how I grew up. My family has helped me a lot too since they have taught me many things, for example my grandfather taught me how to use a hammer and this helps me a lot in who I am since I was very young I learned something that benefits me a lot in life, I also learned how to cook thanks to my grandmother since I was little. Not all of us know how to do these things since we all grow up differently, there are many children who are taught almost nothing about these things by their parents.

In my own life, I have had times where the environment around me made things easier or harder, but my personal goals made me keep going. This question reminds me that both our environment and our dreams shape who we are, but ultimately, we still have the power to choose the path we want to follow.