Have we been conditioned to think as we do? ... can we change it?

In recent weeks I have had many discussions around the way people behave. Specifically on the subjects of money and greed. The views have varied widely from one end of the spectrum to the other. Some people are of the view that people are inherently greedy and out for themselves and that you can't change this, whereas others believe that there is good in everyone and that what we have is just a phase of the accepted 'norm' and it can be altered. Personally I believe that when we are born we are pretty much a blank canvass with some basic built in survival and learning instincts. What happens after that is then a response to the things happening around us. I believe when we are born we are basically good and ready to go, after that it's what we learn and believe to be true that determines how we see the world and behave. So... What are the influences on us? Our parents, family, school, TV, Media, the Internet, the friends and acquaintances we meet. Every