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Old 07-09-2014, 02:05 PM
 
25,024 posts, read 27,818,499 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KathrynAragon View Post
I'm not sure that any of us can say with certainty exactly what role genetics play in a person's affinity for a particular culture. If you've got a source that nails that down, I'd love to see it.

That being said, my original statement about being genetically from the British Isles (genetically speaking, I am 98.8 percent "northern European" with the majority of that ancestry coming from what is now the UK) wasn't meant to be taken as "the reason why I'm so interested in the UK is because my genes dictate that." Which is why I went into detail about loving European history, reading so much English lit at an early age (and on into adulthood for that matter), etc. I do believe that there's a possibility that our genetic makeup does influence our affinity for certain lifestyles and societies but I do NOT believe that our genes are the main factor in that equation - not by a long shot. I believe that many factors come into play when it comes to our affinity or the "draw" we may feel toward certain cultures.
I'm just barely 100% European split between only German and Spanish, and I feel great affinity towards eastern Asia. So, I really, seriously, doubt genes have any play in that. Read your earlier post rationalizing that your British heritage is the reason why you felt, and I'm gonna paraphrase, home and familiarity towards England. Look, that has nothing to do with it. It's just good old fashioned romanticism and the subconscious connection your mind made when you visited, it's no different at all to what Irish-Americans experience when visiting Ireland the first time. I'm sure I'll feel the same visiting Spain this January, but it has nothing to do with genes and only to do with cultural heritage awareness.
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Old 07-09-2014, 02:13 PM
 
Location: Finland
24,144 posts, read 24,673,495 times
Reputation: 11103
Miss my yurt... And conquering Asia...

My genes just can't stop thinking of them.
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Old 07-09-2014, 02:24 PM
 
25,024 posts, read 27,818,499 times
Reputation: 11790
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ariete View Post
Miss my yurt... And conquering Asia...

My genes just can't stop thinking of them.
I knew it! Owen was right all along
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Old 07-09-2014, 06:23 PM
 
Location: Wonderland
67,654 posts, read 60,315,731 times
Reputation: 101015
Quote:
Originally Posted by theunbrainwashed View Post
I'm just barely 100% European split between only German and Spanish, and I feel great affinity towards eastern Asia. So, I really, seriously, doubt genes have any play in that. Read your earlier post rationalizing that your British heritage is the reason why you felt, and I'm gonna paraphrase, home and familiarity towards England. Look, that has nothing to do with it. It's just good old fashioned romanticism and the subconscious connection your mind made when you visited, it's no different at all to what Irish-Americans experience when visiting Ireland the first time. I'm sure I'll feel the same visiting Spain this January, but it has nothing to do with genes and only to do with cultural heritage awareness.
First of all - here's what I REALLY said:

Quote:
I really love to visit so many other countries, and feel a real pull toward the UK and anything British - but that's no surprise since I'm from British stock genetically and grew up devouring CS Lewis, GK Chesterton, and Norah Lofts books.

I also really love and admire Germany and I like Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France...I'm drawn to Europe in general but that's probably because I am a history buff.


But at the end of the day, I am American through and through and very pleased to live in the US. I feel like I belong here, but I feel very comfortable in other countries. I respect the different cultures and I think that comes across when I'm visiting there.
So - I did not say that the reason why I am drawn to England is simply genetic. I stated that my ancestry is British, I grew up reading British literature, and I love Europe in GENERAL (including the UK in that by the way) because I am a history buff.

Peoples' ancestry can play a SIGNIFICANT role in their affinity toward a particular country - whether it's actually genetic (as in some cases of preferring certain tastes over others is) or because of the remnants of that heritage which their ancestors pass down (cultural remnants). In my case, when I finally made it to the UK, I was very pleasantly surprised to realize that much of it seemed very familiar to me already, based on my family's heritage and traditions that were handed down over the generations, the music, food, and literature I grew up with, and the reading and studying I'd done all my life of British history and culture.

Frankly, you don't know whether it has anything to do with genes or not. Unless of course, you're a genetic scientist and you're just withholding that information. I don't know either. The more we learn about DNA, though, the more we come to realize just how hardwired we are in ways we never expected. For instance, I gave the example of me liking dark beer when someone else may find it too bitter. Come to find out, via DNA testing, I don't carry the gene which picks up that particular bitter taste. My husband does. I like dark beer. He doesn't. Interesting.

I also really love Korean cuisine, by the way, and am not one smidgen Korean. I never implied however, that our affinities for different cultures was based simply, or even predominately, on our genetics. I do think that DNA MAY play SOME (probably small) role in it but who knows? It's interesting to read about though.
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Old 07-09-2014, 06:47 PM
 
Location: Finland
24,144 posts, read 24,673,495 times
Reputation: 11103
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathrynAragon View Post
I do think that DNA MAY play SOME (probably small) role in it but who knows? It's interesting to read about though.
How about us who know hardly anything about our ancestry before our grand-grandparents? Who should we relate to, or do I have to find the genetic drag deep from within or decide with some other method?

Maybe I'm a "love child" from Saxony in the 30 years war or something.
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Old 07-09-2014, 08:27 PM
 
Location: 'Back in the midst of a world gone mad'
165 posts, read 188,627 times
Reputation: 245
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathrynAragon View Post
First of all - here's what I REALLY said:



So - I did not say that the reason why I am drawn to England is simply genetic. I stated that my ancestry is British, I grew up reading British literature, and I love Europe in GENERAL (including the UK in that by the way) because I am a history buff.

Peoples' ancestry can play a SIGNIFICANT role in their affinity toward a particular country - whether it's actually genetic (as in some cases of preferring certain tastes over others is) or because of the remnants of that heritage which their ancestors pass down (cultural remnants). In my case, when I finally made it to the UK, I was very pleasantly surprised to realize that much of it seemed very familiar to me already, based on my family's heritage and traditions that were handed down over the generations, the music, food, and literature I grew up with, and the reading and studying I'd done all my life of British history and culture.

Frankly, you don't know whether it has anything to do with genes or not. Unless of course, you're a genetic scientist and you're just withholding that information. I don't know either. The more we learn about DNA, though, the more we come to realize just how hardwired we are in ways we never expected. For instance, I gave the example of me liking dark beer when someone else may find it too bitter. Come to find out, via DNA testing, I don't carry the gene which picks up that particular bitter taste. My husband does. I like dark beer. He doesn't. Interesting.

I also really love Korean cuisine, by the way, and am not one smidgen Korean. I never implied however, that our affinities for different cultures was based simply, or even predominately, on our genetics. I do think that DNA MAY play SOME (probably small) role in it but who knows? It's interesting to read about though.
I think you have brought up an interesting theory. Personally, I think we are just beginning to scratch the surface with genetic research.

You would have been laughed at and ridiculed not long ago, for even suggesting some of the things that DNA research has made possible now.

Paternity test, crime scenes(rape and murder), ability to to detect tribal affiliations, etc..are just a few of those things.

Genetic memory is something that is being deeply researched now, in various forms. Who's to say what our genetics hold. Predisposition to various diseases, behavior, etc..
is also being researched.

The discoveries we have made about the human brain recently, is truly amazing. Who is to say that our bodies do not retain or store parts, or even all of our ancestors genetic make-up?

I saw the show on Discovery, about twins separated at birth. I also watched one about a rare affliction that changes people's languages. They speak a language that they never knew before. They are looking into their genealogy now.

I think we have come too far in knowledge to laugh at things that may scientifically be a possibility. Do I think it's possible that genetics can make us feel a certain affinity to things or areas? I definitely think it's possible.

The more we learn, the more open I am to possibilities. Nothing would surprise me at this point. Since cloning and part human-animal hybrids, I would lean towards most things being possible.
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Old 07-09-2014, 09:20 PM
 
Location: Wonderland
67,654 posts, read 60,315,731 times
Reputation: 101015
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ariete View Post
How about us who know hardly anything about our ancestry before our grand-grandparents? Who should we relate to, or do I have to find the genetic drag deep from within or decide with some other method?
I have no idea. Obviously I am no expert in genetics. Maybe you should get your DNA tested. It might be very interesting!

For instance, my DNA test debunked several family stories of Indian maidens and that sort of thing. Nope. I'm the whitest person I think I've ever met. Even my Nordic looking blonde haired blue eyed husband who looks like a Viking had more random stuff in his genetics, including West African and Jewish! That was pretty surprising. Here we thought he was straight up Irish (his test did show that he's predominately Irish/English though).
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Old 07-09-2014, 09:22 PM
 
Location: Wonderland
67,654 posts, read 60,315,731 times
Reputation: 101015
Quote:
Originally Posted by SthrnCarolinaGrl View Post
I think you have brought up an interesting theory. Personally, I think we are just beginning to scratch the surface with genetic research.

You would have been laughed at and ridiculed not long ago, for even suggesting some of the things that DNA research has made possible now.

Paternity test, crime scenes(rape and murder), ability to to detect tribal affiliations, etc..are just a few of those things.

Genetic memory is something that is being deeply researched now, in various forms. Who's to say what our genetics hold. Predisposition to various diseases, behavior, etc..
is also being researched.

The discoveries we have made about the human brain recently, is truly amazing. Who is to say that our bodies do not retain or store parts, or even all of our ancestors genetic make-up?

I saw the show on Discovery, about twins separated at birth. I also watched one about a rare affliction that changes people's languages. They speak a language that they never knew before. They are looking into their genealogy now.

I think we have come too far in knowledge to laugh at things that may scientifically be a possibility. Do I think it's possible that genetics can make us feel a certain affinity to things or areas? I definitely think it's possible.

The more we learn, the more open I am to possibilities. Nothing would surprise me at this point. Since cloning and part human-animal hybrids, I would lean towards most things being possible.
Excellent post. I couldn't rep you but I wanted to let you know that I find the same ideas very interesting!
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Old 07-10-2014, 03:32 AM
 
Location: Great Britain
2,737 posts, read 3,150,816 times
Reputation: 1450
Quote:
Originally Posted by Miserere View Post
The Basque region and Aquitaine were glacier shelters inhabited by r1b that came from the Caucasus passing through Europe. It's not that English are Basque or anything like that.

The UK was reoccupied starting 9.000 years ago, after the glaciation, with people living in glacier shelters..that came from the Caucasus after living in central Europe.
According to Oppenheimer a leading Genetics expert the British share much of their DNA with the Basques.

You can read Oppenheimer's research here

The Origins of the British by Stephen Oppenheimer

Myths of British ancestry

What does being British mean? Ask the Spanish - Telegraph

Quote:
Originally Posted by Miserere View Post
Is there any British genetic marker for Balconing? Fascinating sport!!!
Is there any British genetic marker? No.

Your theory is indeed romantic, and could show some promise if western Europeans, and Homo Sapiens, were not that promiscuous and lived in very small hamlets with no contact with the rest of humanity during 1.000.000 years.
But if that were the case, Homo Sapiens would be extinct by now.
I agree and in terms of the English we have been invaded numerous times by Romans, Vikings, Normans, Anglo Saxons and have been subject to mass immigration over the centuries. In cities such as Manchester, one in three of the population has Irish ancestry, whilst there is Scandinavian influence in parts of the North with people in places such as Northumberland still using Scandinavian words, place names and indeed having Scandinavian based surnames with son on the end. The English are as much a mongrel race as the Americans in many respects.

Last edited by Bamford; 07-10-2014 at 03:40 AM..
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Old 07-10-2014, 02:10 PM
 
Location: San Francisco
8,996 posts, read 10,421,501 times
Reputation: 5751
I sometimes feel like I wasn't born in the United States, because even though I was born in the continental US, I wasn't born in an actual state.
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