Interesting Hereditary Quesion

[rightwing401]

I've had this theory going through my mind for a while now and I'd like to get someone else's opinion on it. But first, let me explain where this thought came from. A few years ago, I was at a renesance fair and I happened to pass by a working blacksmith. I don't know why, but I was instantly drawn to the work he was doing, and I sat down and watched the guy work hammer and mold metal for about an hour. It got me thinking back on a few times when I had been a kid. When I used to help my parents on their farm, occasionally I would stick a few scraps of spare metal into fires I was burning and would pound out the metal with a hammer when it was red hot, it was just something that I really enjoyed doing for reasons that I had no idea as to why. Now moving on, I had this crazy desire to, I it were ever possible, set up a small smithery in my back yard and work metal. Now, one day not so long ago, I told my father about this odd desire to be a blacksmith. Then he drops a bombshell on me. Turns out, my great-grandfather had been a blacksmith for most of his life. My father then explain how he could remember how my great-grandad loved working metal the same way that I do. I have never once been told this before, and I have never been exposed to or taught anything about blacksmithing before that day at the renesance fair. This main factor, accompanied by several other things that I've found out from both of my parents that I do things that either they or their own parents did without any influence being put upon me to mimic these things...has caused this odd theory to pop inside my mind that I just can't get ride of it. Do you think it's possible for people to inherit likes/desires/hobbies the same way that they inherit their physical appearances from their parents? If anyone has similar experiences that can either confirm or deny this theory of mine, I'd like to hear them.

[acealive1]

just like some people excel at sports then their kids do the exact same thing. it can be passed down. the most notable cases are deion sanders and ray lewis who both have sons with crazy ass athletic ability.

[blind2d]

"Renaissance". Yes, I've heard of this sort of thing occurring, but that it happened to you is very cool! I don't think this applies to me personally, but... oh well, it can't be for everyone, I suppose. Very cool, I say again.

[Publius]

Do you think it's possible for people to inherit likes/desires/hobbies the same way that they inherit their physical appearances from their parents? Not directly. But it's possible that you could inherit genes that predispose you towards certain hobbies. For example, I doubt there's a blacksmithing gene, but there may be genes that enhance the basic skills that make a good blacksmith, and therefore would make someone who has a high level of those skills unusually likely to develop an interest in blacksmithing.

[AcesandEights]

Not directly. But it's possible that you could inherit genes that predispose you towards certain hobbies. For example, I doubt there's a blacksmithing gene, but there may be genes that enhance the basic skills that make a good blacksmith, and therefore would make someone who has a high level of those skills unusually likely to develop an interest in blacksmithing. That's possible, but I think it would be more likely that RW heard or was exposed to something that had to do with the trade early in life (hearing a story when he was very, very young, seeing a blacksmiths tool stacked in the corner of a grandparent's house or pictures) and a reminder crystallized with him on some emotional or intellectual level when exposed to blacksmithing up close later in life. By the way, RW, if you're interested in start up blacksmithing from home I heartily suggest Backyard Blacksmith by Lorelei Sims! It really laid out the basic concepts for me over the last few months, as I had a similar expereince with developing an interest in blacksmithing

[rightwing401]

Well, I wasn't implying that there's a specific gene that automatically makes a person into something specific. I was saying that it does seem very likely that a person can be predisposed towards certain traits or hobbies. As to your suggestion on prior exposure Ace, if I was introduced to or told about blacksmithing, it had to be when I was far too young to remember, because like I said before I have no memory of ever knowing that my great-grandfather was a blacksmith before my dad told me. The only thing I could say would qualify as exposure is that I've always helped my dad on home carpentry jobs since I was a kid, through which I honed the 'fine art' of working a hammer at a young age. Since blacksmithing is primarily hammerwork, that might explain how a seed of the desire was planted in my head. The metal working that I mentioned earlier was done all on my own though. Appreciate the recomendation Ace. I check into it.

[krakenslayer]

Very interesting, although i would be cautious about attributing it definitely to your great-grandfather's skill. You have two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, sixteen great-great grandparents - that's thirty people that combined to make you and that's only going back four generations. The chances against one of them being a blacksmith aren't very high, especially given that it was a very common profession until the early-mid 20th century. Who knows though, maybe there is some predisposition passed down through the genes. That's really cool that you discovered an interest in blacksmithery (sp?) though. Best of luck with your dream!

[BillyRay]

or, at some point you'll time-travel into the past and become your own great-grandfather...

[LouCipherr]

or, at some point you'll time-travel into the past and become your own great-grandfather... 1.21 Gigawatts?!?!?!!?