BECOMING HUMAN

• Nature vs. Nurture
• Humans are the product of both their social environment & genetic makeup
• Nurturing specific potentials results in an individual's development
• Without social life, no potentials would be developed
• Everyone has more potential than will be realized

INDIVIDUALITY

• Humans are both one of a kind, and of a kind
• We all hold similar attitudes, values & beliefs
• Varied life experiences create individuality
• First step to becoming an individual is to recognize that you are not one

LANGUAGE

• Humanity could not exist without language
• Allows us to socialize as human beings
• Allows us to resolve issues peacefully and creatively
• Necessary for the creation of institutions and traditions

IDENTITIES

• How we define ourselves according to our culture
• Our sense of self is supported by those around us
• Identities let us interpret ourselves to others quickly
• Language & identity make it possible to function in a social world
• By valuing one's identity, humans are able to self-regulate

PERSPECTIVE

• Taking the perspective of others breeds effective verbal communication
• Sympathy- feeling emotion for an other
• Empathy- feeling emotion with an other
• Voluntary emotions that promote self-regulation and humane behavior

EMOTIONAL RESPONSIVENESS

• The ritual of greeting is a tradition that acknowledges the presence of others
• Signifies respect and shows others that we can be trusted as interactants
• Necessary for accomplishing anything that involves another person
• Treating others respectfully obligates others to honor our identity
• Adhering to tradition preserves our self-esteem and how others perceive us

REJECTING EMOTION

• Some conditions require us to reject sympathy and empathy
• It is sometimes acceptable to reject the wishes and feelings of a group
• War requires placing the value of one's social group over human life
• People remain emotionally responsive to fellow citizens and comrades
• Can be used as a form of self-defense

MINDFUL RESISTANCE

• Everyone cares about some audiences more than others
• Resisting the judgements of a group of people can cause hardships
• It is acceptable to do so if promoting justice and equality within humanity
• Boundaries between groups distinguish the "insiders" from the "outsiders"
• Inequality creates negative emotion and cuts people off from each other

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