Sociogenetics, Ontogenetics, Phylogenetics and Language!

In one of the classes, we were discussing how sociogenetics (growth of society), ontogenetics (growth of an individual organism) and phylogenetics (evolution of a species) would each have its independent curve. However, for me it felt like it would influence one another. When Michael asked me to think of an example, I couldn't. But I have been thinking about this and will share an example and would like to know if that makes 'sense' or not.

During the 1940's the society in India was undergoing many changes. This was the time that British still ruled India, while we were trying to free ourselves and become a democracy. In the year 1947, India was partitioned into now what is called 'Pakistan' and 'India'. Due to this partition, there was a huge conflict between Hindus and Muslims. The Hindus in India wanted the Muslims to leave and go to Pakistan and the Muslims in Pakistan wanted the Hindus to come to India. My ancestors (including my grandmom and granddad) were from the Pakistan side of India (before partition). One was born in Karachi and one in Lahore. From the stories they have told me, they had to literally run for their lives and leave all their wealth/properties/community behind and come to India. They decided to settle in the southern part of India. Now due to this sociogenetic development/change in the Indian society, they personal growth (ontogenetics) was greatly affected. They had to build their live from scratch, earn a living and feed their children. They underwent many struggles. I was then eventually born in the South of India. (As opposed to the northwest where I would have been if not for the partition). Now the southern culture and society influenced my life, interactions and experiences to a great extent. For instance, even though my mother tongue is Sindhi, my accent, values and behaviors are more similar to the people in the South than my relatives who still live in the Northwest. I feel like it is easier for me to get along with individuals from Southern India rather than the North. So I would definitely agree with Vygotsky that we understand people more easily when we have greater number of shared experiences with them. But doesn't this example make it seem like sociogenetics influenced ontogenetics? My cousins recently had children and those children have even started to look like the people from the South (wouldn't that be influencing our phylogenetics?)


FYI: Now that I had to communicate through 'writing this blog' , I was conscious to realize that it is a more effortful process and requires the opposite of predicated language. I had to think and write so much to communicate this background story!

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