The Orchid Gene

Gene game: is your child a dandelion or an orchid? Dandelions are tough. They sprout and thrive between the concrete. Orchids are delicate and wither easily but given the right attention, nurtured in a greenhouse, sensitive orchids bloom. In other words, vulnerability can be a virtue. David Dobbs explains, with great optimism, how the orchid hypothesis is new to modern biological psychiatry and what it implies for personal success and human social structure. Dobbs, a father, chose to have his SERT gene assayed while he was researching the piece, but not his kids’. It seems like it’s important for Dobbs that his kids know they carry the potential for anything. Also, it’s probably wicked hard to talk to a 5 year old about screwy serotonin regulation. (via The Atlantic)