05 Apr Do the people shape the place or does the place shape its people?

According to me the OR in the question might not get you a clear answer. The two statements in the question are equally true, depending on the context you look. I would state it as “People shape the place AND The place shape its people”. It’s true both ways.

Winston Churchill famously proclaimed that “we shape our buildings, and afterwards, our buildings shape us.”

How do you define a Place?

I’m taking the meaning of a place beyond just brick and mortar.

The definition I would like to use is

“A place is distinguished by its people, markets, governments, and institutions, as much as it is by its physical landscape and natural resources, transportation systems (including streets and roads), buildings, and boundaries. Like livability and sustainability, place is an ensemble concept.”

– From Community and Quality of Life: Data Needs for Informed Decision Making (2002)

Let me give you some simple example, so we don’t believe that only one of the statement is true.

People shaping the place:

• The person(s) who is in power in the country can shape how people behave. The classic example comes to mind is China, where freedom to discuss politics is not existent.
• Global warming is another example of people shaping the place (earth).
• Neighborhoods in the beginning are shaped by the first few people who moved there. Eventually the neighborhoods (place) attracts more people who believes in the philosophy of the place.

Place shaping the people:

• When we go on an adventure holidays, we loose lot of amenities which are easily accessible during normal life. We adopt to the situation and discomfort in the name of Adventure.
• When someone migrates from one country to another, they start following the rules and guidelines of the new country/community. They have to let go of their old behaviours and habits.
• In developing countries people are okay to throw their garbage anywhere although in a developed countries the same person goes to find a dust bin.

Environmental psychology proves that our surroundings can shape our feelings, behaviours, and even sense of identity. Here’s a true story

Jason Kim, in his article “Hello my name is…” (commonlit.org) explores what it’s like to move from a country with a distinct cultural identity to a small southern town, unused to foreigners. The atmosphere in Missouri caused him to completely reject his heritage. Surrounded by white children and teachers, he began to transform in all aspects of his life, all the way down to his name. Now known as Jason, “because it was easier to pronounce,” the language and cultural barriers forced Jun to whitewash himself in order to fit in . When people are faced with an environment that doesn’t accept them, it can cause them to change and adapt in order to emotionally and physically survive. Those who live in an environment where they feel loved and accepted feel no need to change their identity; because why fix something that isn’t broken?

“Outside on the playground, sitting alone at recess, I learned I hate being Asian. I wanted desperately, more than anything to be white.” (Kim)

After years of living this way, Jun grew older and moved to New York. There he encountered people who encouraged him to wear his South Korean heritage on his sleeve.

“At one point during my 20’s, I took a long dramatic look in the mirror and realized, you will be Korean for the rest of your life. As a teenager growing up in the Midwest, that thought made me cringe. Now, it makes me happy, and deeply proud.” (Kim)

This article shows how a change in environment can completely uproot cultural identity, no matter how deeply embedded it is in a person. A change can also result in that identity blossoming into something enriching and fulfilling.

Markus Jokela at the University of Helsinki and a group of international collaborators researched — 56,019 residents of Greater London. They found

“Where we live can affect our levels of life satisfaction in ways that are somewhat predictable based on aspects of our personality. There is no basis for the claim that our surroundings can actually change our personality, but there are strong indications that the mix of individual variables with the physical variables of our surroundings can influence how we feel, what we do, and what we think about our lives.”

What are you thoughts? Do let me know, If I need to change my views.

Love, Peace & Joy,

From MP.