Lookin down, I'm not sure about nature v's nurture but I think the reality is that both have an effect and one or the other is not neccesarily dominant.
I think that mimicking your parents behaviour is a basic survival instinct that all animals existing today have been very good at, the ones that weren't good at it never got to pass on their genes. A newborn is hard wired to copy their parents, it's how they get through to the stage of being self sufficient without getting eaten by a sabre tooth. Think about it, if the human child didn't mimmick their parents they would be extremely unusual and wouldn't learn at the incredible rate they do.So does that mimmicking behaviour stop at things like being cautious of other animals, sleeping in sheltered places, hunting techniques, personal hygene practices, language, social interaction within the family/tribe??? I doubt it, I think there is probably an instinctive urge to behave the same as your parents in just about every way. Why? Because it works, your parents are here, they are alive, they were successful at passing on their genes to you and that is all that matters, successfully passing on your genes, that is what drives every animal on the planet, they have triumphed where others failed in the most important and sole reason for existing. So why would you do anytrhing different? What your parents do has worked and you are living proof. I think you are hard wired to mimmick your parents as the most sure bet to be as successful as them.
Erin, I think there is a big difference between obtaining wealth and getting money. They often can "get money" but most have no idea how to make that money work for them and therby turn it into wealth. It makes no difference how much cash you get your hands on, if you don't put it to work for you it will disapear eventually. In my experience the average Port Keats chap will spend the money on things that will never return any rewards, they will simply cease to exist (beer) or become a liability (car) , they will never return rewards like say....a block of flats rented out. I don't think many of them have had anyone sit down and explain how money works and how it builds on itself if invested carefully.
Cheers for your points, its got me thinking. c ya.