I think it is shaping us like much other things (books, leaflets, posters, public speakers, friends, public figures, leaders, war). Even the choices you make-seemingly by free will-shape you.
What we experience becomes a part of us, and what we do becomes a part of others' behaviour.
Western society indulges in violence, materialism and sex quite freely. Although, it seems that repressing these things is not correlated to a less violent and perverted existence.