Theory and practice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In theory, if you count genetics to these influences, external forces shape and mold every wanting. This ends the concept of free will \u2015 in theory<\/a>. A way out of this might be the thought that consciousness (including conscious free will) is something magical \u2015 which it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In practice, each person is a unique conglomerate of an immense amount of influences that result in a complex entity (such as you) in which these influences also mutually influence each other. Seen as a whole, the individual is a self-perpetuating pattern of mainly subconceptual elements. In this, practically seen, whatever you<\/em> want is your<\/em> wanting\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n unless it is not.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is now a question of degrees. Your wanting is never fully yours, but that is, practically seen, irrelevant. Such as: you cannot jump to the moon \u2015 theoretically true, but practically irrelevant. You can still use your jumping for what it\u2019s worth, which is sometimes quite a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The relevant question is: How directly and thoroughly is your wanting shaped by external forces \u2015 not only what you concretely want, but the wanting itself? That\u2019s a whole layer deeper than merely wanting something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me be free to do what I want.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Theoretically: nonsense. Practically: depending on the above. For instance, a continual bombardment of advertisements that again and again mold the ego into buying modus also molds the ego as ego. The wanting becomes a mere-ego-wanting, separated from the complexity of the total person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The advertising being continually sanctioned by a capitalist-consumerist society, the wanting of the individual also becomes a consumerist wanting \u2015 bent on grabbing superficial stuff to fill a deepening hole inside. This way, the divide between superficially wanting and deeply needing<\/a> becomes bigger \u2015 not making anyone happier or more Compassionate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is not a plea against capitalist society but against a meaningless one. It is a plea for a post-capitalistic focus on meaningfulness<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A society in which people are really free to do what they want.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Practically, this goes together with a search for what people meaningfully<\/em> want. This is never devoid of cultural influences. The wanting of the individual is partly the wanting of the culture. Therefore, cultures themselves should not be exempt from ethical scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n