Genetics

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Genetic Legacy
Genetics and the environment are the sole determinants of human behavior and traits. According to Sigelman and Rider, human beings possess behavioral and biological similarities since they share the human genome (73). The existence of these similarities arises from the fact that our ancestors made certain choices and decisions that ensured the survival of the strongest human species. For instance, they would mate, and only those with the strongest genes and survival instincts would produce and nurture offspring. The prehistoric genetic legacy of predisposing a particular behavior and trait as a way of ensuring our survival and reproduction may, however, be problematic in the contemporary society since people have adopted a different lifestyle.
In ancient time, our ancestors participated in activities that promoted their survival. For instance, they would gather honey, dates, and preserve meat products through smoking in preparation for famine and winter. These products did not harm their bodies since they were unprocessed and free of chemicals. They, therefore, had good health. The habit of consuming fatty and sugary foods is predominant in the contemporary society since we are inheritors of the prehistoric genes. However, lifestyle diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer are rampant, and they are causing untimely deaths due to our way of life. Today, people use vehicles for transportation, unlike our ancestors who travelled for miles on foot.

Many individuals opt to consume fast foods as opposed to healthy meals due to their busy work schedules or their socio-economic status.
The contemporary society is also characterized by high fertility rate especially among young adults which increases the chances of newborns. Due to medical advances, both men and women of today have access to a wide range of birth-control plans as a way of limiting the world’s population. For example, a couple that agrees to get only one child limit their potential of producing more children who may have best genetic makeups that may ensure the survival of future generations. Hence, the inheritance of prehistoric genes has been effective in ensuring the survival of human species, but the environmental changes may have mismatched our natural dispositions.

Work Cited
Sigelman, Carol K., and Elizabeth A. Rider. Life-span Human Development. 9th ed., Cengage Learning, 2017.