The topic of nature versus nurture has been long debated and fought over, whether it be about raising child or even raising animals. However, today, I'd like to apply this thinking to the world that we all hold so dear.

So, how much in this place is decided by the nature of a person, and how much of it is decided on how a person in nurtured through the ranks and developed by the already established people here?

My lineage has been in several positions of power over the last ten or eleven years, and they have seen many people come through the ranks and take different routes to get where they want. Some take it by force, be it 'roguing' or just through several wars or takedowns. Some take it through pure diplomacy and strategy. We all have different ways of getting to where we want to be, and getting what we want.

However, how much of a persons actions are down to how they are, and how much of it is down to what they are taught?

In terms of nature, everybody has values instilled in them on how they are going to go about things, they might be a right evil bastard and just want to see the world burn, in which case they might take up Bodyguard wacking, fort hitting, random rogue shots, etc etc. On the other side, they could be the nicest person that ever walked and would love nothing more than hand holding and peace forever more.

If you think about it though, no one enters this world knowing about all of these things though, they aren't to know about bodyguard wacking or rogue shots, this is not common knowledge to people that are fresh off the boat. They must be taught about these things, which brings me on to the nurture side of the argument.

Are new people receiving the right 'mentoring' when they arrive? Could crew leaders be doing more to make sure these people don't go down the 'bad' route? I'm not saying crew leaders are doing a bad job, that's the whole point of this speech, how much of it is the teaching from the crew leader, and how much of it is just hard wired into a persons personality to make them do these things.

I saw a speech from the TeQ bloodline about rehabilitation which sort of ties into this. To be one of these unfavourable people once could maybe be a mistake, and just a case of bad nurture, however at what point does it become just that persons nature?

Wandering nearby, Demon stumbled across and interesting speech set out by DaKurlzz. Noting down some interesting points in the speech, Demon could do nothing but agree with the man. Realizing other mobsters were yet to speak out on the subject, Demon began to share his thoughts. 

everybody has values instilled in them on how they are going to go about things, they might be a right evil bastard and just want to see the world burn, in which case they might take up Bodyguard wacking, fort hitting, random rogue shots, etc etc....... no one enters this world knowing about all of these things though, they aren't to know about bodyguard wacking or rogue shots, this is not common knowledge to people that are fresh off the boat. They must be taught about these things

I believe a man's patience with becoming 'who they want to be' is really tested, while they go about in their attempts to be successful in this thing of ours. Many enter the world in hopes of becoming, "This Worlds Greatest Hitter!', 'A pack leader of their crew' or simply 'becoming the most respected man among us all.' Yet some people set these goals far too high and at times, unachievable in a very short amount of time. These people start to grow weary in day to day activity, and the little things they once enjoyed doing in this thing of hours, become blurred by the fog of their ambitions - that goal of one day being that 'respectable crew leader' that they've set for themselves.

Demon pauses, allowing his words to perhaps bite some sense on how he saw these things..

How does this relate to your final hanging question of Dakurlzz's speech, some may ask..?

however at what point does it become just that persons nature?

 Well if people began to enjoy the smaller things, this thing of ours has to offer, they wouldn't be suffer from immense frustration because of goals (Decades away) that they have set for themselves. I find that when people are so caught up on attaining a particular Goal, any obstruction between them and that Goal must be eliminated, this may just as well be another player."

"I know what you're thinking,"

'How does taking rogue shots, BG Wacks or HQ attacks  have absolutely any fucking thing to do with Goal setting? How is being a menace to society as such a goal in any way?' 

"Well you see, It's something I like to call the "Fuck it!" attitude. The 'Fuck it attitude' is usually displayed under the following circumstances;

"Fuck it! If he's Head of the Family now and not me, I'll gun him and the ones who made the decision because 'Fuck it', If I can't have it.. neither can he."

So at what point does this just become 'That Persons nature' ?
Based on the individuals self control, where his patience is greatly tested against his ambitions. If his ambitions are high, but his willpower (his patience) is low, a huge fallout such as going rogue may just be the outcome.

Fading back into the crowd Demon speaks his final words..

Teach a man Patience, and you'll successfully teach them how to be successful.

 

A few good questions here. I believe that upon entering our world people have to make a decision that will probably effect their blood for generations to come. It is a huge decision choosing who to join when you're a fresh face. Something that shouldn't really be thrown at you, but there's not avoiding it. It's so big because that decision has a good chance of affecting your entire offspring's future.

Let me delve a little deeper...

Upon getting a first ever invite and joining a family, there's a good chance nowadays that you're going to be tied to them for a very long time (unless you fancy being a bit of a dick). As with any situation involving any sort of 'pack-type' animal you will learn from what you see and hear around you. When you're that 'fresh face' it's like a child being brought into the world. You are a sponge for a long time, taking in anything and everything you can handle, therefore you tend to imitate or at least approve of the actions of those you're spending a lot of time with. Now, if your blood makes the wrong decision early and end up with a complete retard who goes nuts, it's more likely that you're going to become a bumbling fool too. However if you're lucky enough to join a family who are  smart and tactile, it's more like that you will also develop the same traits.

So, to answer your topic and the first couple of questions DaKurrlz... if it's a bloodlne's very early generation it's definitely nurture. If it is an old school bloodline, in probably more than 90% of cases it is nature. As actions, words and tendencies are so ingrained into a bloodline's mindset that it's hard to have them think any other way.

It is tough for a crewleader to mould/mentor every single member of their family. It's more about the people they have surrounded themselves with on whether more can be done. You'll find a lot of old-schoolers have a lazy attitude to embracing new people here, they don't mind short conversation, but few are willing to take the time to teach somebody new. So by proxy, if you have a lot of mobsters in your family who have eons of generations worth of ancestors then someone new is going to struggle to be taught things step-by-step, which is quite sad considering the vast wealth of experience their heads hold. On the flip side to that, if you have a good mix of old-schoolers and people who's lineages don't stretch back too far but know the basics then your new bloodlines will hopefully have contact with those people and once they know the basics principles, they'll have the courage to the old timers who hopefully are more responsive due to the fact they're not answering questions their blood has answers 9530453 times before.

So, for a direct answer to your question. It's not necessarily about how much work is put in by the crewleader... more about who they choose to be in their family.

If something is nurtured long enough it becomes his nature, I think. When my line first arrived on these shores they knew very little and they had to be taught everything. These very first teachings have stuck with me and some of the advice given is now part of myself.

I think the question essentially boils down to how much of an impact can one individual have on another. If you have no impact, then nature prevails. If you have a tremendous impact, nurture dominates. So while it may be tempting to focus this subject on an individual's "natural" personality dominating the teachings of their mentor, I'd like to focus on the mentor.

There are a myriad of people who approach this world. Some light-hearted, some with harsh demeanors, and some who don't even really respect how we do things. This is by no means an exhaustive list of what kind of people grace our shores, but it shows that there are people from all parts of the spectrum that want to work for the Mafia. Oddly enough, I'd say it doesn't really matter what they're nature is. Short of someone truly diabolical (usually harboring vendettas or purposes that span a bloodline), everyone has potential. And like cracking a safe or picking a lock, mentors have to find the right approach to taking a lump of potential and pushing it in the right direction.

This, I'd say, should be the chief requirement of being a leader. It is, I'd say by definition, what it means to be a leader. To recognize potential and help them realize it. To overcome any nature with a unique education that fits who they are and who they want to be. I'd say the only natures that can't be charged with motivation would be those who are either malevolent, apathetic, or indignant. If a man's nature resists these three things, nurture will always prevail. And even in times of apathy, a great leader can inspire.

I didn't mean to turn this discussion around onto what makes a good leader, it just seems like this discussion somewhat develops from the efficacy of leadership. Good stuff, though!