One thing we can't run away from, try as we might, is our backgrounds. What we've been through as individuals, as well as the environment we were brought up in, always catches up with us, and the truth is that all we can do is embrace it and work towards being better for the future. However, if you think you can shut the door on the past, come out unbiased and continue life without facing your past and what it entails then you are lying to yourself. Here is a list of 9 ways that your background inevitably affects you, even without your knowledge.
Values
The way that you were brought up and the environment that you were socialised in play a significant role in shaping your values as an adult. An example would be, if you grew up in a home where stealing was condoned and it was a normal part of life, you would likely be insensitive towards people who relate to stealing as bad since for you, it's normal. In that regard, what you are taught at a younger age is what you are most likely to stick to, shaping your values in your adult life. On some occasions, however, someone might choose to have their values exactly parallel to how they were brought up due to trauma and resentment of their background. Either way, whether you are adopting your values in line with where you came from or whether you are adopting them despite your background, your background is still the underpinning factor that determines your values.
Identity
Our identity is built from our very first social encounters as well as the environment in which we are socialised. So as you grow up, your image of yourself will be directly shaped by your life encounters. Whether you think positively of yourself or whether you think negatively of yourself, it all stems from the identity that was implanted in you at a young age. Furthermore, your identity is usually shaped by that of the people who raised you, meaning that things like culture, religion, and what you decided to undertake from a young age are usually just amalgamations of your background. Whether you know it or not, your identity is therefore shaped by your background, and whether you choose to change this or not is now up to the decisions you make for yourself as an adult.
Emotional Development
Do you know how when boys cry from a young age, many parents just encourage them to stop crying since ‘boys don't cry’? Same as how when they complain about not being well or being depressed, they are told to ‘man up’. In this environment, how do you think these boys will relate when they become men? It is probably obvious that they will become emotionally withdrawn, unwilling to share and ignorant of their emotional needs. In contrast, a girl's emotions will be validated, promoted and encouraged, and the result of this is that, as women, they will be in touch with their emotional side. So the environment that children are socialised in and what they are taught from an early age determines how their emotional state will develop. If you reflect on it now that you know, you will notice how your emotional development is reliant on your background and how you were groomed.
Thinking
Did you know that the way you think and react is all a result of your background? This is a very true assertion and we can not run away from it. The environment you grow up in underpins your thought process and perception of things since you assimilate the beliefs of the environment and somewhat make it your own. An example is how, in households where open-mindedness is promoted, the people who come from it will explore different phenomena freely without fearing any judgment. It will promote critical thinking and creativity. However, if you come from a conservative household, chances are that your thinking is directed in a certain direction and anything beyond that scope is unthinkable and uncomfortable for you. In cases where you defy this conservative thinking, you are still doing that based on a background you are trying to defy, which makes that an effect of your background.
Language
This is one effect of our background that we cannot run away from. Your language in terms of choice of words, tone and accent are all a result of your background. If you go to a private school, it is more likely that you will speak more eloquently, and it will show when you are talking. Likewise, it is difficult to change the language aspect of your life if you come from a poor background where you were exposed to poor language skills. This is not to say you should shy away from your background because of this. Instead, you should embrace it as it is all a part of your life story.
Lifestyle Choices
Chances are that if you come from an extravagant background, you are likely to have an extravagant lifestyle when you grow up. This is because this is what you are used to, and you can't just suddenly change your lifestyle for no reason, can you? In contrast, if you come from a minimalist background, you are more likely to adopt this lifestyle when you grow up because this is what you are comfortable with. However, in some cases, you may notice how people who grew up governed by a minimalist lifestyle may choose to defy this and aim for a better lifestyle because they may have felt robbed growing up without and feel the need to overcompensate in their adult lives. Either way, all these choices are a result of one’s background being the main factor that determines their choice of direction.
Behaviour
It is no secret that your behaviour is a result of how you were brought up and your background as a whole. If you were used to being spoiled and entitled, you are most likely going to be the same when you grow up since how your life is shaped as a child sticks in your adult life. If you, however, were brought up with good behavioural morals, it will show in the way you act as an adult. It is, therefore, a fact that your behaviour is inevitable as a result of your background.