David Shenk spends the entire Chapter Six refuting the idea that certain sports abilities and greatness are attributed to specific cultures, ethnicities, etc. For example, Shenks examines the case of the “running Kenyans”. (102) He argues that it is not the Kenyan’s ethnicity that gives them special genes that make them the fastest runners in the world. Instead, environmental aspects strongly contribute to their successes. “Kalenjin kids tend to run long distances as a practical matter.” “Running in Kenya has become a rare economic opportunity to catapult oneself into Western-level education and wealth.” (105) This cultural inclination towards running is what contributes to what seems like an abnormal number of Kenyan runners. Does this necessarily mean that if someone wants to be a great runner, he should go to Kenya because the culture there cultivates running abilities? Describe how the physical and social environment of Kenya could have contributed to the development of great running skills. Are there any other examples that you can think of of the culture or a certain ethnicity providing a platform or the cultivation of a certain skill?
As stated in the question, the Kenyan ethnicity does not create great runners. It is the environment in Kenya that cultivates the great runners. While genes are a factor, they are not nearly as important as the environment. Kenyan journalist John Manners "suggests it came from cattle raiding" (103). He suggests that the cattle raiding is responsible for the passing down of running traits. The fastest runners were the best cattle raiders. The best cattle raiders earned the most money. Those who earned the most money were able to survive and reproduce. Therefore, it was a evolutionary advantage to be a fast runner. This supports the idea that the running comes from genes passed through generations. However, even these genes were originally developed because of a dynamic relationship with the environment. This aspect of the Kenyan running fits exactly into Darwin's natural selection. According to Campbell, natural selection is "a process in which individuals with certain inherited traits leave more offspring than individuals with other traits" (Campbell 456).
ReplyDeleteBeyond this aspect of the Kenyan running success, much of it can not be explained by textbook inheritance and evolution. The rest is the result of the dynamic relationship between the genes of Kenyans and the environment and culture they live in. For example, many Kenyans attempt to use running as a way to achieve a higher standard of living. This causes a huge amount of determination. This determination causes a huge amount of practice and effort. This can lead to an epigenetic change that leads to increased running ability. Also, Kenyan boys are running from a young age. In order to survive, they must run from school, to the farm, to their home and to the river. This environment spurs epigenetic changes.
It would not be helpful for someone born in a different culture to move to Kenya to change their running ability. This is primarily because what makes Kenyan runners great, is the the culture that they are immersed in at birth. Simply moving to the country will not teach how to be a better runner because it will not teach you the extreme desire to run that the Kenyans have from birth.
There are many examples of culture cultivating a certain skill. A perfect example is Stevenson High School. At Stevenson, there is a culture of extreme academic rigor and competition. This drives students to work harder than they might in another environment. This hard work results in an epigenetic change in their students that fosters academic success.
Jonah May (jonah2020@aol.com)