I don't know any of the science behind it, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's a little of both. I think a certain level of unconfidence/shyness can be innate or passed down. My mom was really shy as a kid, and I'm the same way even though we were both raised in very different settings. I think a lot of it is also gained during life. That doesn't necessarily mean it can be prevented, it's just the way some people learn to go through life and I think you can still get over a lack of confidence. Although there was this really interesting new discovery about how traits (like fears) gained in a persons life may actually become part of a person's genes and passed down to their children and grandchildren in some cases. So if your grandmother had a certain fear due to a traumatic experience, you may have the same fear. Here's a link to an article about it: Grandma's Experiences Leave Epigenetic Mark on Your Genes | DiscoverMagazine.com
No we're born with bliss in ignorance and then it slowly melts away as we discover what the world really is
Hmmm. As with many things revolving personality and emotion I believe a mixture of both nature and nurture is present. Certainly happiness and confidence is something that could be affected by biology, hormones, parts of the brain, which can exist or be predisposed from birth- but it clearly also is influenced by environment, how we are raised, and our decisions in life- and the nurture part can very well over rule the nature part in our lives. Anyhow, nothing about personal happiness or confidence is set in stone even if we are born leaning towards a certain level of it.
Both. Some people are born more mentally tough than others. However, A LOT of mental toughness can be influenced by how you treat yourself. Yes, the environment influences my personality, but I have the final say. My actions are more important than my twisted mind.
I say both, but mostly born with happiness. We live in a world where whites have privilege over other races (not just the United States- in South Africa, they have predominantly white models for fashion magazines), men have privilege over women, cisgenders have privilege over transgenders, and straights have privilege over gays. We also have first world countries and third world countries. If you are a white, cisgendered, heterosexual male who lives in a first-world country, you are one of the most privileged people on Earth. You are not discriminated against, you will have a higher chance of getting a job, etc. What is so bad about that privileged life? There is absolutely no reason to be unhappy or to feel unequal. Unless something absolutely awful has happened in your life (death of loved one, abandoned by parent), you're most likely gonna be pretty happy.
Well...let's see. When I was born everyone thought I was the greatest thing ever, boobs got flashed in my direction all the time, I got whatever I wanted when I wanted. But then I made the mistake of learning how to talk and it all went downhill.
Some people have suggested to me that what we experience during the first three months of our lives helps determine how trusting and happy and confident we become later on. Of course, I think our genes have something to do with it as well, certain personality traits being passed down and all sorts of diagnoses and weaknesses/strengths playing in, but I believe much of it is due to environmental factors.
I think in my case I became less happy and less confident as I grew older... I was a bit of a daredevil when I was little and now I prefer to hide in my room and cry... so... yeah...
I personally believe this is part of your personality which grows as you grow and are exposed to different situations. A good example is 'emotional hardening'. No kid is born with tough emotions, but exposure to situations which challenge those emotions will cause them to become more emotionally resilient. I am a good example of this. Another example is enjoyment. It's fairly easy to entertain a baby, (stick a toy in front of them and put a children's tv show on), but once they grow a bit older and have been exposed to different situations, it becomes a very varying task depending on the person, some can be very hard to entertain and some can be easier to entertain. Confidence is a strange one though. While the shyest person in the world could probably train themselves to be very confident, it does seem to have some nature around it. An example of this is twins - one can be confident and the other can be shy. This could be due to the fact that one establishes a dominant role first and they stay that way however. Also, if it was a natural thing, then surely being rejected by your crush wouldn't make a difference would it? ;P
Everybody seems to forget one thing... yes, being white and cisgendered, and heterosexual, are advantages in the western world. But those advantages are almost worthless if you're poor. It is ironic that class divides us, but it can also unite us -- if people would quit cherry-picking who has it worse. As for the question itself. I believe it comes down to how you're raised, as to how well you'll be able to channel or find happiness/confidence. If you were taught and shown certain things, growing up, you have that to look upon and utilize, today. But you can still learn, you'll just be a bit behind and have a harder journey, even if you weren't dealt a great hand. The key thing though is, you don't just find confidence like you do a toy in a McDonald's Happy Meal. It's something you have to build and tend to, much like our bodies, loved ones, anything really. When you nurture it, it can become stronger basically: You have to keep at it or it will die. The funny thing about confidence and happiness is, a lot of it really depends on you. There is a reason the term "blissfully ignorant" is used. You can have an absolutely shitty environment, but if you still handle your business, you can have some joy. It's when you cave and stay caved that problems arise. People or situations can make you feel a way initially, but YOU have the power to decide whether or not they keep you feeling that way. If you want a cute little phrase, here it is: I've got one life, and I'm going to live it. You can move aside and watch, you can stand before me and get fuckin' crushed, or you can join me and enjoy your damn life too. Make your choice.
