This just in - being surrounded by good influences is good for you. And vis-versa. This isn't rocket science, of course. We've know about the important of cult

This just in - being surrounded by good influences is good for you. And vis-versa. This isn't rocket science, of course. We've know about the important of cultural influence for a long time. There was a reason my parents cared about where I grew up, and who I hung out with. If you grow up in a culture where people don't care about academics, where welfare and child support are acceptable forms of provision, where machismo and crime are glorified, where you are told that discrimination will prevent you from otherwise succeeding, and that your failures can be blamed on racism - no, I don't think that culture will have a good influence on you.