VI 

 SOCIAL HEREDITY 



WHY is it that you have grown up to be an American? 

 Why is it that the mere accident of being born, we will 

 say in the state of Massachusetts, and being bred in that 

 state, has made of you an American and not a Chinaman 

 or an Indian? Aside from the physical characters of 

 yellow or red skin, round head and straight hair, what 

 constitute the differences between Americans and China- 

 men or Indians are their differences in culture, customs, 

 usages, ideals, art and literature. In the plastic years 

 when you were growing up you were formed and molded 

 by the suggestions and impressions that flooded you from 

 all sides. Your developing consciousness found already 

 established certain standards, usages, ways of doing 

 and thinking. Some of these you were more or less at 

 liberty to select and pick and choose, others you had 

 to observe so and so and never otherwise. Your plastic 

 mind was bent this way or that within the limits of its in- 

 herent adaptability so that now when you are mature 

 you have come to think any standards, usages, or customs 

 which are different from the ones you are familiar with 

 and which your social class is used to, are strange and 

 unusual, even wrong or immoral. You think the China- 

 man is queer, but he also thinks you are queer. And he 

 is quite as justified in his opinion of you as you are in 

 your opinion of him. The essential difference of your 



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