Imprinting

It has been said, though I can't remember by whom, that one's values are largely in place by age seven or so, which makes most of us, to some degree, products of our caretakers. If you doubt it, have you yet heard the voice of your parent come out of your mouth? It can be frightening, but they are there in your head. (And there are plenty of people who pay large sums to get those voices out of their heads.) I have so frequently seen young girls suddenly become the mirror of their mothers as they age, and the rebellious teen mature to be the apple not fallen far from the tree. The foods you like (such as mom's home cooking, in the days when moms could cook), the sports teams you support, the religion you espouse, and on and on, are likely merely products of your upbringing rather than free choice. As adults, will you explore other perspectives, places, experiences, etc., to make preferences based on choice rather than conditioning?