Posts by Gregory Carter67

feralranger said:Infants, for instance, haven't yet developed a functional ego—meaning self-awareness or a distinct personality—much like those with severe cognitive impairments. A true ego is the province of healthy adults, whereas in children, it is a structure that assembles itself gradually over time.

The ego can be defined as:

1. In psychoanalytic terms, it is the component of the personality structure that mediates with reality, maintaining a delicate equilibrium between our primal impulses (the id) and our internalized moral standards (the super-ego); it serves as the cognitive and perceptual layer of consciousness, encompassing memory, decision-making, and more.

2. The individual as a whole entity, fully aware of their own existence and asserting their uniqueness in relation to other people, their environment, and the world around them; essentially, the self, the persona, or the core personality.

Honestly, it’s just semantics. Call it what you want, but little kids (more often than not) get jealous.

feralranger said:Frankly, every single person is tied to their ego, barring perhaps those with severe cognitive impairments or small children who haven't yet developed a sense of self or a distinct personality.

Generally speaking, yeah, that's true. Though, let's be real—little kids still deal with jealousy, so you can't say they have zero ego. It's just a work in progress. They have whatever level of ego has developed for their age. Some people just get stuck at that developmental stage—usually due to how they were raised or their social environment—and end up staying jealous and codependent for life.

Melissa Stewart6 said:I see the ego primarily as a construct. If you perceive it that way, you don't even have to fight it because the whole concept feels unreal to you.
Looking at this thread, it seems a few users have teamed up to wage war against the very idea of humility.
They claim humility is twisted and perverse, arguing that we should always walk with our heads held high.
But since everything in life is dialectical and moves through opposites, it's possible to be truly proud only if you are also humble... otherwise, you're just left with egoism—nothing but empty noise and shouting.

I'm with you—someone can only be proud (in the right way) if they've got some humility to back it up.

feralranger said:I suspect you are conflating terms you haven't quite mastered, specifically because the concept of the ego is fundamentally distinct from being an egoist. It is a matter of
definition.

Any psychologically sound individual possesses an ego—think of it as one's self-awareness, personality, or that essential cognitive and perceptual layer of consciousness. Only those suffering from severe mental impairments (or perhaps very young children before their intellect and self-consciousness have properly matured) lack such a thing.

An egoist, however, is defined as: a person who prioritizes their own interests above all else, acting solely for their own benefit at the expense of others; essentially, an egotist or a selfish person.

I get the definitions just fine. I was specifically talking about—egoistic people. And yeah, they're obviously linked to having an—ego.

mistybison said:Do you believe the ego acts as an obstacle to spiritual progress?

Is diminishing the ego a byproduct of spiritual growth, or is reducing the ego a prerequisite for that growth to begin?

Certain teachings focus on the total "dissolution of the ego." Do you think such a feat is actually possible, or perhaps even necessary?

How has your relationship with the ego evolved on your own path? Is it expanding, shrinking, or fading away? Or have you simply shifted your perspective regarding it?

In your view, what is the true definition of the ego from a spiritual standpoint?

Obviously it's an obstacle. An Egoistic person is just full of themselves—you know the type. To me, that’s easily the worst spiritual state you can be in, right behind being arrogant or refusing to be humble. Egoism and pride go hand in hand; they're basically two sides of the same coin. I feel for people stuck like that, and I feel even worse for those who actually think it's a good way to live. Honestly, I just try to stay far away from people like that—it's a major character red flag for me.