Good post.

Yes, don't polarize into an absolute to remove all conditioning. Conditioning from our environment and society shapes us into who we are, and there are positive and negative aspects to such conditioning of knowledge accepted as "truth" and the ego-personality-identity construct.

Much of who we are is ingrained. And much of it can also be changed to allow greater degrees of freedom to reshape who we are into better and more authentic version of ourselves.

Although, I think your focus on meditation and the present moment is overemphasized as necessary in this process. You can be here and now without it, and still also reshape yourself without that focus on "stillness" of an the concept of a "pure consciousness" devoid of thoughts. Having awareness of reality and ourselves, and processing this awareness, is a necessary and evolved capacity in human development required for our progression in life.

Take care. Peace.