What Makes Us Moral

While reading the magazine article "What Makes Us Moral," I noticed a strong connection to the debate of "nature versus nurture." The article explains that one is born with an innate moral code, or a kind of "moral grammar." However, one tends to switch up that code based on different environmental factors. One may know right from wrong, but he/she may not act upon these values because their "membership" in the group would be threatened if they did so. I see this as saying that nature only goes so far, and after that, nurture kicks in. Society's influence molds our, otherwise morally correct, character. The information in the article definitely supports my view of White Fang's stance on this topic. As in the article, White Fang demonstrates that character is shaped by one's surrounding environment. It supports the nurture argument completely. For example, the article discusses how one tends to show empathy towards those who he/she can relate to, but when it comes to outsiders, one has a difficult time showing empathy or acting based on their moral code. One is "programmed" by society to feel as if certain groups of people are very different from them. These specific groups become alienated to the point that one feels as if he/she has nothing in common with them. It is nurture at work!
The article "What Makes Us Moral" has, as I previously mentioned, a strong connection to White Fang, but also a connection to Lord of the Flies as well. On page 196 of White Fang it is stated that, "...according to the clay of his nature and the pressure of his surroundings, his character was being molded into a particular shape." In addition, White Fang acted only for the "gods" a majority of the time (this reinforces the "shunning" concept discussed in the article). In Lord of the Flies, the "two regions battling in the brain" concept is illustrated with every killing performed on the island. In addition, the fact that everyone kept joining Jack's group for the purpose of survival, says to me that all of the kids were trying to avoid the "shunning" as well.
The two summer reading assignments, White Fang and Lord of the Flies, truly reinforce the statements expressed in "What Makes Us Moral!"