"It's in Their DNA" Also Our, Your, His, Hers, My

June 15, 2010

Sometimes as I listen to TV interviews, I notice that certain phrases are being repeated. Sunday, watching Meet the Press, The phrase, "It's in their DNA..."seemed to be used by more than one interviewed person. DNA is clearly a part of everyone's makeup and researchers continue to search for the parts of our DNA chain that contain certain diseases. The goal of this research seems to be to save lives by altering these "defective: parts of the DNA chain.

The remark that "It's in their DNA" seems to attribute certain behaviors to someone's DNA. Does this mean that the behavior is innate and unchangeable? It seems that the use of the phrase was attributing the DNA behavior to certain individuals, not to all of humankind.

Perhaps the reason that residents of Southern California need to drive cars rather than take mass transit is the result of our DNA. Perhaps our preference for certain foods is in our DNA. Are these behaviors really part of our DNA? As a real estate agent, I certainly hope that owning one's own home is in our DNA.