Genetics Behind Individuality

We have investigated and discussed what makes each of us a unique individual. The basic cause was found to be different and unique combination of circumstances. As part of this unique combination of circumstances and also part of our individual constitutions are genes deciding our individual characteristics. Genes mean those elements in the body which we inherit from our parents and other ancestors. Through these, we inherit characteristics of our parents and other ancestors. With this fact in mind, let us see how and from where we inherit these genes and hence the characteristics.   

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Each person transfers genes of his/her ancestors to his/her off-springs. All our ancestors had different genes and traits of their own as inherited from their ancestors. Thus, an infant has in his/her body all the genes of all his/her ancestors. But not all of these genes remain active to define characteristics of the person made out of the infant in later days. or in other words, most of these genes remain dormant in the body, except those which find congenial circumstances for them to become active and define characteristics of the person. For example, a person trained as a wrestler will have active genes of one of his/her ancestors who was good at wrestling. Similarly, a person remaining in touch with philosophers would have activated genes received from an ancestor interested in philosophy. 

This also means that a person can activate any sort of genes present in his/her body by making efforts in a field of his/her interest, provided any of his/her ancestors had the desired characteristics. Thus, in a single lifetime, a person can be rich in different characteristics of his/her ancestors through making efforts in the desired fields

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