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Though like you said there's a huge lack of studies confirming and backing this up. I would lean towards a flawed study (since there often are), though eventually we'll discover it if it's true. So far anything we know suggests a much longer alteration of DNA to pass down, far beyond hundreds of years even. Though as you point out there are hereditary traits that do pass down that may affect you, such as increased or sub-par vision may lead you to certain paths.
That was the same study I linked to, about mice being trained to fear the scent of cherry blossoms, and their offspring also had the same fear.
I've read stories about identical twins separated at birth, and then reuniting later in life. Sometimes they are found to possess uncanny similarities and habits, or a style of dress, preferences for colors or certain sports, any of a number of things that you wouldn't think could have been inherited. So I think that a lot of the little things that make up who we are, that we think we have control over, may very well be programmed in our genes. I think most people resist that kind of thinking especially in a society that highly values individualism. Science is a long way from uncovering how this happens, so some people will give a supernatural or romanticized interpretation ("my ancestor is guiding my actions") to something that may be a biological predisposition.
That was the same study I linked to, about mice being trained to fear the scent of cherry blossoms, and their offspring also had the same fear.
I've read stories about identical twins separated at birth, and then reuniting later in life. Sometimes they are found to possess uncanny similarities and habits, or a style of dress, preferences for colors or certain sports, any of a number of things that you wouldn't think could have been inherited. So I think that a lot of the little things that make up who we are, that we think we have control over, may very well be programmed in our genes. I think most people resist that kind of thinking especially in a society that highly values individualism. Science is a long way from uncovering how this happens, so some people will give a supernatural or romanticized interpretation ("my ancestor is guiding my actions") to something that may be a biological predisposition.
Sorry I didn't word it better, I meant to imply it was the study you mentioned
Very true. In fact my father and uncle are identical twins (with a triplet sister). They did grow up together and are very close, but they also have a lot of shared natural talents (both being artists for example).
I agree that our genetics influence a lot more than we probably realize. Though it makes sense considering we all taste things a bit different based off of our taste buds, so whose to say we wouldn't all have the same favorite food if we had identical taste buds/genetics, etc...
Oh, here's another one - both and my mom and I have always been fascinated with the Amish culture. Found out we have an entire branch of Mennonites in our tree - from colonial times up to the late 19th century. Doesn't mean I'm going to go live with the Amish though, lol.
Yeah, I read somewhere that when you think about all the people in the world and all the different possible scenarios in the world, it would actually be more spooky if coincidences which seem like more than that didn't occur.
Probably, that's what happened with my photography school, I think that was just coincidence - and not hugely unlikely when you consider that I have a long family history in the Philly area and that I didn't live too far from there at the time (and that I lived there because my family has always been there).
However, I do think moving to England and finding out I had ancestry only 7 miles from where I settled was no coincidence. The reason I moved there was, in part, because I'd always been fascinated by Manchester, England. I guess you could call me an Anglophile but in particular, I loved Manchester and it's surrounding areas, and always wanted to live there - at least temporarily. My husband was born and raised in Manchester, which was part of my initial attraction to him (of course I didn't marry him for that reason!). I always felt like something was drawing me to Manchester, like an itch that had to be scratched. So to me, it felt like more than just coincidence when, after settling there, I found out I had ancestry from a town only 7 miles away.
Equally, I've also always felt like I was meant to live by water - I love the ocean especially but I love to be near any body of water. It makes me feel peaceful and at home. Even in Manchester, I lived by the old ship canals. And then I find out that I had Norwegian ancestors who were sailors, one of whom was even the first Norwegian to own his own ship on the Great Lakes. When I told my mom about this urge to live near water she said "I've always felt that way too!" and it's on her side of my family that the Norwegian sailors come from. Again, I don't think this is coincidence because these are feelings and desires I've had since I was either a child or a teen.
I think there is some sort of genetic memory stuff going on. I have many instances that I don't have time to share here. But I will share a couple of quick ones.
I grew up in England. When I first visited a certain area of England on a school trip, I felt a connection to the place that I couldn't explain. It just felt right, like home. When I moved to the US and ppl would ask where they should visit in England, I always suggested the area I loved, no other place seemed as enticing as that place (except one other I will tell about below). I just started doing my genealogy and have learned that multiple generations of my family back to the early 1700's had lived in that area and owned 400 acres there at one time. My family had no knowledge of this due to the deaths of the family members linked to that side of my family. I also learned that two of them had owned tavern Inns. My first career was in the tavern Inn field and later hotel management. I have owned restaurants and always wanted to open a pub.
Next, my first summer job away from home in HS was on an island. I was actually supposed to work with a friend on an Island near France but going forward didn't feel right even though the logical decision would have been to go with my friend. So I found a job on an island elsewhere and went alone. Upon moving there, I felt such a connection to the place that since then I have returned, and often think of retiring there. I recently researched the place as it is never far from my mind. I learned that my ancestor was actually the first king of the island. I was flabbergasted.
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