EGO

OK I'd like to thrash out the issue of ego, what it is and why its perceived as such a negative traite.

I will argue as being 'For ego' just for the sake of facilitating dialogue. Should any counter ego dialogue occur.

Is ego healthy? Not in the case of vanity but rather in relation to futhering the self. Can one be compassionate and act without self interest. (a selfless act). Surely even a kind act like giving a begger money, makes one feel good!

Surely nearly everything we do is for and in the long term interests of the self, ergo closely associated with the ego.

I have noticed people who often take what seems like a possitive stance acused of exibiting egotistical charateristics. What does this mean?

The dictionary says this about ego:

a. An exaggerated sense of self-importance; conceit.
b. Appropriate pride in oneself; self-esteem.

Clearly the self is probably the most important aspect of the microcosm called YOU.

So if ego is closely associated with pride what is wrong of being proud of your endevous? We all love to be praised right, whether by our boss, teacher, friend etc. Praise cannot feel good, as it does, unless there were a sense of pride or ego present in the individual.

So for example I hypothetically erradicate world poverty from the world. Am I allowed to exibit aprropropriate pride in myself? What is and isn't 'appropriate' ?

I've noticed people who know what they are talking about have often been accused of being egotistical, which is mainly why I have started this thread. Have you ever been accused of being egotistical? Where they right?

I've been accused of being egotistical many times. Sometimes they are probably correct. Other times, I think it's like you say, they're just jealous and/or insecure. Many times I've learned it's best not to say what you know to most people. Most people will feel like you're a jerk?! They even will say you're making them out to be an asshole. I don't understand. If you've discovered that you're acting like an ass, why not change that? Why would you judge the other person instead of yourself?

Ego is a good thing. I don't see it as most people here talk of it. I see it as a psychologist. It's our intermediary between our unconscious desires, and our conscience. We need this! If we have lost this, we'll be unable to navigate in this world. I think what people should be focused on is eradicating their ID.

I have to beg to differ from the main orthodox view of ego.
From my own personal understanding through mysticism. ego is essentially the part of the mind that was created by the separated mind of god that wanted to be alone and feared god and his love. Though at the end of the day ego and the confines of time and space in physicality of form as created by it essentially want nothing better to do than create war, anger, hate and fear in nothingness of the illusion of its demise.

Hence life is simply the lesson of which to transcend the ego once again and be at one with reality.

Ego is the will to receive, so it's healthy. But it needs to be used in a way that is for the intention of bestowal. The intention to bestow can be aimed to either God or other people, since both are seemingly separate from the person.

We can't act outside the will to receive, IE self interest. Every action we make is from a feeling of lack from within, and a movement to fill our experienced lack with, of course, something better.

There are no good actions, only good intentions.

You're "allowed" to feel pride in the fact that you did something that was for the purpose of love or bestowal, but the action doesn't matter. So feeling pride in the action isn't the point.

Its sort of a case of the pot calling the kettle black, we all have the same "evil" within us in the form of egoism with the intention of receiving for only the self. People have different levels of desire which sort of manifests as perceiving someone to be "egotistical". The egotistical person just has a greater level of desire, or will to receive. Used correctly, and they have a greater ability to match the creator's will to bestow and fulfill the purpose of creation.

[edit on 27-11-2009 by ghaleon12]

reply to post by ghaleon12


The ego is simply there to re-enforce the desire to be a separate alone individual in a body that paradoxically withers away and dies and so attacks and blames other bodies for this inhumane callous, depressing and most fearful state of affairs. That is essentially the external world around us yeah.
True love, joy peace and happiness come from the internal within oneself where the subconscious acts within the conscious and sees with the heart that love abounds in everyone and appreciates and understands everyone as one within allof life.

Originally posted by pharaohmoan
OK I'd like to thrash out the issue of ego, what it is and why its perceived as such a negative traite.

The Ego is God contracting upon Itself in Fear.

I continue to see the ego in the way it was conceived, by Dr. Freud.

It is not a bad thing at all, in fact it is a good thing. It is our "manager", and works with our Id and our Superego. It keeps the two balanced, according to Siggie.

For example, you receive your paycheck.

Your Id, which is your hedonistic and self-serving part, thinks "I'm gonna take my entire paycheck to the casino and see if I can triple it. I just want to have a good time, and I don't care what happens the rest of the month".

Your ego kicks in: "No, you're not. You are not going to squander this money. You have bills to pay, and groceries to buy. You can do something fun after your obligations are met".

Your Superego, which is your conscience and guides it, kicks in: "I am going to take this paycheck and give every cent of it to the poor". "I can't stand to see these people suffering anymore, and I can do without things for a month, I'll make do somehow".

Your ego kicks in: "No, you're not. You can give them something, but you have to take care of yourself and your family first. You can't give all your money away, that would be foolish".

It's really just a manager. Keeps us stable. It gets bad P.R. sometimes, but that was not the original meaning. We see people all the time and think "this person has a healthy ego". What we mean is the person is a healthy, well rounded personality.

Now, people can be egocentric. They can be egoistic. They can be egotistical, and these may be beyond the norm. But essentially our ego is what keeps us healthy. It permits us to continue during periods of distress, and from going over the top when things are really great.

Not sure this was the OP's intention for discussion. Just my two.

reply to post by pharaohmoan


what I'd like to find out is how to neutralize the painbody with some physical object...its too difficult to practice none thought, next to impossible actually; too much work to meditate

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


Your understanding of ego is pretty much spot on to what an old convict explained to me, when I was 18, while I was sitting in his cell, wondering, how the how did I let myself get into this situation?

However, this knowledge sure didn't keep him from constantly returning to prison for the previous 30 years. As for me, I learned my lessons from him and took them to heart, and I have not returned to such miserable accomodations ever since.

reply to post by reject




Yes, meditation is a lot like work if you don't find a good way for yourself. I listen to a rhythmic drumming CD and it makes it all easy for me. I also have a rattle CD and that just irritates the crap out me, like listening to bagpipes.

I don't know anyone who meditates and stops thinking. It's a matter of allowing thoughts to flow at their own pace and direction.

Hi, all.

To understand and "ajust" an EGO, see:

Oprah & Eckhart New Earth

www.opraheckhartvideo.com...

22,000,000 persons + did watch it !

Blue skies.

reply to post by kyred


Good for you kyred. Apparently your cell buddy knew Freud, and theories of psychology. The Id, Ego, and Superego are very, very old theories, but are still pertinent and studied.

I'm happy to hear you have your "Id" calmed down! Down boy! lol.
(Mine is now trying to persuade me to eat another bowl of ice cream).
But you see just understanding the dynamics of these things is not enough in and of itself. It takes other personal characteristics as well, such as motivation and determination. It's all interesting, and always something new to be explored about ourselves.

reply to post by ladyinwaiting


What you're talking about is rather trivial. The things that guide that (id, ego, superego), and is therefore above what you're talking about, is the will to receive as much pleasure as possible. Simple. So start from there...



[edit on 28-11-2009 by ghaleon12]

There are only two states of mind. One is either in a state of fear, hate, anger, war or one can be in the other state of; Love, happiness, joy and peace.
The only free conscious will one has is, in which state of mind one wants to choose to be in of each moment of time and space.

reply to post by ghaleon12


Why gee! Thanks for the advice! How have I managed all these years without you???

The will to receive "as much pleasure as possible", according to Freud, would be the Id. The animalistic component of our psyche. It will sometimes also want to belittle others, in order to make ourselves look superior.

[edit on 11/28/0909 by ladyinwaiting]

Ego. Say it. Listen to others say it. You hear a tone denoting badness with the word.

Maybe it's a lot more simple than we think? Maybe Ego is only the part of awareness that recognises itself?

If that were true then even "god" would have Ego.

And if ego was only the part of us that recognises itself, then like all things it would be something for us to learn to Balance.

So maybe ego is seen clearer as a Spectrum, from underactive.. low esteem +.. to overactive.. big headed god's gift type.

If so then we could let go off so much baggage attached to our negatively-loaded perceptions of a little word, Ego.

I love my Ego, it's never wrong.

If you don't believe me, ask me.

"I like my ego...without it, I'd be all floppy...."

It's just the what that allows to be this who for a time.

[edit on 28-11-2009 by TrueTruth]

I think there is a bit of a difference between ego and good will.

But they also can be related.

I think the basis for all is natural. As the adage goes, moderation in everything. Too much or too little causes problems. Such as, people not caring for someone who has too much ego.

The question is, why do we recoil from someone who has too much ego? And why is it a bad personality trait?

Now as far as it goes for taking pride in showing good will, as you know I have stated that I link everything to our cave dwelling ancestors. It would benefit the whole tribe to show generosity. Nature would need to give a little push for someone to get out of self preservation mode and give to others.

For outstanding acts of compassion, heroism, and selflessness, there is even a selfish benefit and survival instinct in that too. Even if you die in the process, it brings yoru family to a higher status, making them more desireable, and gains more resources and a better selection from the gene pool.

And that maybe the same basic reason for simple good intentions.

I am trying not to jump around on the subject too much, which I can have a bad habit of doing.

Can you act selflessly and not feel pride and ego? Just give without expecting to receive. Without sounding egotistical, , I have.
But it takes a frame of mind and some training. And to be very spiritual.My personal belief is that you are judged on your actions, your intentions, and your decisions. To give to someone to only to expect to receive something back from the universe or to feel prideful, diminishes the act.

To put stipulations on the action, expecting that person to pass it on, diminishes the act. To expect any conditions whatsoever, diminishes it. For example, I often have this discussion with people. Do you give money to beggers? Many peopel don't. Because they feel alcohol or drugs will be bought with it. My veiwpoint is that it is not my position to judge. it is not my position to decide what that person should do. It is not my position to believe or discriminate what will be done with that money. Because you don't really know. You don't know if it is going to be that last drug that kills them, or the meal that saves them. You don't know. Because at that point,t he resposibility is theirs, not yours. Your responsiblity ends when the money leaves your hand. And it is egotistical, to assume you can change events that has been set in motion.

To feel a little glee at the prospect of helping someone is not a bad thing. If only it is to feel happy for the person the deed is done for. As long as it stops there, and it is not being done to further your own position in the universe.

And at this point I forgot anything else I was going to say. silly brain.

do not mistake self for selfish.