--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course, genes can't pull the levers of…" description: "\"Of course, genes can't pull the levers of our behavior directly. But they affect the wiring and workings of the brain, and the brain is the seat of our..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/steven-pinker-526_affect_of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of_1830703.jpg" --- # Of course, genes can't pull the levers of our behavior… ![“Of course, genes can't pull the levers of our behavior directly. But they affect the wiring and workings of the brain, and the brain is the seat of our drives, temperaments and patterns of thought.” quote by Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/steven-pinker-526_affect_of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of_1830703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/steven-pinker-526_affect_of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of_1830703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/steven-pinker-526_affect_of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of_1830703.jpg) > “Of course, genes can't pull the levers of our behavior directly. But they affect the wiring and workings of the brain, and the brain is the seat of our drives, temperaments and patterns of thought.” [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Genes shape brain structure, influencing behavior indirectly through neural wiring and mental processes. **In simple terms:** Genes affect behavior via brain wiring. Key Takeaway Consider how biology subtly guides actions. Themes biology neuroscience behavior determinism Mood thoughtful analytical Type scientific informative When to use this quote - education - parenting - self‑awareness - mental health - career choices Key Concepts genetics brain development psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you see biology influencing your habits? - Can you change patterns despite genetic predispositions? A Different Perspective Genetics do not dictate destiny; environment and choice matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affect/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Drives Temperaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drives-temperaments-2272129/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Genes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genes/) [Genes Pull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genes-pull-2272128/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Levers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levers/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Temperament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temperament/) [Workings Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workings-brain-310978/) ## Related quotes > [Of course genes can’t pull the levers of our behavior directly. But they affect the wiring and workings of the brain, and the brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of-our-behavior-directly-but-2/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“The workings of your brain shape, reinforce, and influence your subconscious mind, and unconsciously this affect the way you approach life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-velandia/the-workings-of-your-brain-shape-reinforce-and-influence-your/) [Claudia Velandia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-velandia/) > [The adage that fact is stranger than fiction seems to be especially true for the workings of the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-adage-that-fact-is-stranger-than-fiction-seems-to-be-especially/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [Why should not a writer be permitted to make use of the levers of fear, terror and horror because some feeble soul here and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-should-not-a-writer-be-permitted-to-make-use-of-the-levers-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mind is the great lever of all things; human thought is the process by which human ends are ultimately answered; and the diffusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/mind-is-the-great-lever-of-all-things-human-thought-is-the-process-by/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [I am concerned that Donald Trump walks into the White House a walking conflict of interest in violation of the emoluments clause of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-vanden-heuvel/i-am-concerned-that-donald-trump-walks-into-the-white-house-a-walking/) [Katrina vanden Heuvel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-vanden-heuvel/) > [Voting is a very scary arena to be in, but I do vote. I go in there and pull the lever. It's kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/voting-is-a-very-scary-arena-to-be-in-but-i-do-vote-i-go-in-there-and/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [If we were magically shrunk and put into someone's brain while she was thinking, we would see all the pumps, pistons, gears and levers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/if-we-were-magically-shrunk-and-put-into-someone-s-brain-while-she/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [It is probable that all heavy matter possesses - latent and bound up with the structure of the atom - a similar quantity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-soddy/it-is-probable-that-all-heavy-matter-possesses-latent-and-bound-up/) [Frederick Soddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-soddy/) > [It goes without saying that only inner greatness possess a true value ("une valeur véritable,", Fr.) . Any attempt to rise up (or at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/it-goes-without-saying-that-only-inner-greatness-possess-a-true-value/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [ The handover of power to \[Dmitry\] Medvedev was rather painless, everybody thought that the waves would calm automatically. By now, it's quite clear that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/the-handover-of-power-to-dmitry-medvedev-was-rather-painless/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [If you could choose to master a single ingredient, no choice would teach you more about cooking than the egg. It is an end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ruhlman/if-you-could-choose-to-master-a-single-ingredient-no-choice-would/) [Michael Ruhlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ruhlman/) > [Unless they can pass the same test that immigrants must pass to become citizens, people shouldnt be allowed to vote. The idea that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/unless-they-can-pass-the-same-test-that-immigrants-must-pass-to/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [There are patterns in everything, in the whole of Nature, from the way the stars turn in the heavens to the whorl of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-rees/there-are-patterns-in-everything-in-the-whole-of-nature-from-the-way/) [Celia Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-rees/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) ## More by Steven Pinker > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Consistent style prevents presentation from getting in the way of content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/consistent-style-prevents-presentation-from-getting-in-the-way-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [The supposedly immaterial soul, we now know, can be bisected with a knife, altered by chemicals, started or stopped by electricity, and extinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-supposedly-immaterial-soul-we-now-know-can-be-bisected-with-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I've never argued that humans are massively hot-wired. What I was trying to point out was that you can't understand how we learn unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/i-ve-never-argued-that-humans-are-massively-hot-wired-what-i-was/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [As many political writers have pointed out, commitment to political equality is not an empirical claim that people are clones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/as-many-political-writers-have-pointed-out-commitment-to-political/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Since violence is largely a male pastime, cultures that empower women tend to move away from the glorification of violence and are less likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/since-violence-is-largely-a-male-pastime-cultures-that-empower-women/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When it comes to explaining human thought and behavior, the possibility that heredity plays any role at all still has the power to shock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/when-it-comes-to-explaining-human-thought-and-behavior-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Morality is not just any old topic in psychology but close to our conception of the meaning of life. Moral goodness is what gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/morality-is-not-just-any-old-topic-in-psychology-but-close-to-our/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Part of the bargain of being alive is that one takes a chance at dying a premature or painful death, be it from violence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/part-of-the-bargain-of-being-alive-is-that-one-takes-a-chance-at/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [In fact, without a specification of a creature's goals, the very idea of intelligence is meaningless. A toadstool could be given a genius award…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-fact-without-a-specification-of-a-creature-s-goals-the-very-idea/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“The obvious cure for the tragic shortcomings of human intuition in a high-tech world is education. And this offers priorities for educational policy: to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-obvious-cure-for-the-tragic-shortcomings-of-human-intuition-in-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [If you look in general at people who live in anarchy, they have quite high rates of death from either homicide or warfare or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/if-you-look-in-general-at-people-who-live-in-anarchy-they-have-quite/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“In some eras, self-control defines the paragon of a decent person: a grown-up, a person of dignity, a lady or a gentleman, a mensch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-some-eras-self-control-defines-the-paragon-of-a-decent-person-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Knowledge is a continuous fabric, in which ideas are connected to other ideas. Reason-free zones, in which people can assert arbitrary beliefs safe from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/knowledge-is-a-continuous-fabric-in-which-ideas-are-connected-to/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) [Explore all 495 Steven Pinker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## More Affect quotes > [That is the real problem of depression - a condition which will affect an estimated one in five of the population at some point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-andreae/that-is-the-real-problem-of-depression-a-condition-which-will-affect/) [Giles Andreae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-andreae/) > [Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are going to invest to put out different kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/everything-affects-hip-hop-the-question-is-how-does-it-affect-the/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [I almost always mess up. I fall too easily in love. I cry over boys. I'm not the prettiest girl you can find. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-almost-always-mess-up-i-fall-too-easily-in-love-i-cry-over-boys-i-m/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never let the opinion of another affect your opinion of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-mummert/never-let-the-opinion-of-another-affect-your-opinion-of-yourself/) [Teresa Mummert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-mummert/) > [Everyone has those times when you feel like you don't fit in. Everyone struggles to a certain extent with being cool and popular, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-boldman/everyone-has-those-times-when-you-feel-like-you-don-t-fit-in-everyone/) [Spencer Boldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-boldman/) > [When you're not working, it does affect you. It destroys you if your film doesn't release.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/when-you-re-not-working-it-does-affect-you-it-destroys-you-if-your/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) > [I want to say that our shows are safer-spaces shows. Don't push anyone or affect anyone's space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hopkins/i-want-to-say-that-our-shows-are-safer-spaces-shows-don-t-push-anyone/) [Ben Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hopkins/) > [Geometric shapes hold an energy pattern, and scientists did some experiments which say certain geometric shapes can affect matter around them. It's simply because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/geometric-shapes-hold-an-energy-pattern-and-scientists-did-some/) [Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/) > [“I look up at the painting. It's not even that interesting. Definitely doesn't grab me and shake my brain around like the meadow scene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-bachmann/i-look-up-at-the-painting-it-s-not-even-that-interesting-definitely/) [Stefan Bachmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-bachmann/) > [We live our whole lives, and in our dying moment, we have to ask ourselves, 'What did we really care about? What impact did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/we-live-our-whole-lives-and-in-our-dying-moment-we-have-to-ask/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [It's sad to see that something you have done or the decisions that you have made affect your children in a negative way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/it-s-sad-to-see-that-something-you-have-done-or-the-decisions-that/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [Sometimes, you feel like, 'Am I going to be upset about this as a black person or as a woman first? Or am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-williams/sometimes-you-feel-like-am-i-going-to-be-upset-about-this-as-a-black/) [Jessica Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-williams/) > [Even the good things don't go to my head and I don't let the bad things affect me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcelo/even-the-good-things-don-t-go-to-my-head-and-i-don-t-let-the-bad/) [Marcelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcelo/) > [My job as a physician is to make sure I have provided my patients with the best options to make the decisions that affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ami-bera/my-job-as-a-physician-is-to-make-sure-i-have-provided-my-patients/) [Ami Bera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ami-bera/) > [Every day, all of us at Gannett are given the rare and sacred opportunity to affect change for the good in the communities we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracia-martore/every-day-all-of-us-at-gannett-are-given-the-rare-and-sacred/) [Gracia Martore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracia-martore/) [Browse all 447 Affect quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affect/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of course, genes can't pull the levers of our behavior directly. But they affect the wiring and workings of the brain, and the brain is the seat of our drives, temperaments and patterns of thought.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Pinker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of-our-behavior-directly-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affect" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of-our-behavior-directly-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/steven-pinker-526_affect_of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of_1830703.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/steven-pinker-526_affect_of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of_1830703.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad7/steven-pinker-526_affect_of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of_1830703.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Of course, genes can't pull the levers of our behavior directly. But they affect the wiring and workings of…” — Steven Pinker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Steven Pinker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Of course, genes can't pull the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of-our-behavior-directly-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/of-course-genes-can-t-pull-the-levers-of-our-behavior-directly-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```