Some things are up to us, and some are not. That is hard to argue against. It is the list of things that are up to us is where difficulty starts.
Our opinions are up to us, but we are biased by our upbringing. But we have free will. Will is only free as long as there is no coercion, or other forms of repercussion. So how is a child supposed to go against the wishes of parents when the parent belongs in a lunatic asylum? Or a young adult even, who is not dependent on parents, who's choices would be opposed by the parent, is that really free will? So we have the right to choose but not the freedom to do so, but at times we must choose and bare with the consequences.
We have free choice over our desires, as desires are not physical, but just a mental concept of desire. These can produce expectations and delusions that will cause problem later, but we have power over our desires. The advertising can endeavor to raise an eager want in us, but ultimately, desires are within our power.
Our motivations are within our power. That is not to say that we can achieve what we want, for we are limited by physical factors like our body and memory.
Our beliefs and values are within our power. This makes us responsible for what we actually believe as adults, and what we do as a result of those beliefs. We have the freedom to review and accept or reject, change our beliefs at any time. That is true freedom. Reason and logic can be the true driver of all our actions.
Ethics, virtues, and the like can drive our decisions, not historical cultural rote. Yes, we have the responsibility as adults to review and change where needed, and to changer our culture, based on ethics and virtue. Here we need to know our priorities, facts, truths, and not get swayed by emotions. The political bodies can paint pretty pictures that are half-truths if not outright lies. We need to sort out the reality, and live by virtues, regardless of government programs and attempts at social engineering, or environmental reactionaryism.
On those things that are beyond our power, we have influence or partial control over a few, and much more that we have no control over. Those we just must let go of the responsibility for and learn to live with, making what changes we can. We can only change ourselves.
We can educate ourselves to a large extent. Some of the best education is self directed, along the lines that you find interesting. It does not need to turn into money making education, it can be for your own benefit, or to aid in sorting of fact from conjecture or promotional materials or government propaganda. There is a great deal of that to go around, even in the "free" world.
But what do I know?
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