Define Ego

@alex717,

alex717 wrote:

In the sense of it being a manifestation of human thought and behavior.

alex,

Ego I think is ones belief in ones own power to effect the physcial world, it is ones virility for lack of a better word, ones power of being, which largely determines ones quality of life. The ego could be large or it could be to small, I have heard it compared in this sense to it being caged, were one might say to ones self, oh a writer, no I could never be that, when the ego is to small, one cannot dream.

@alex717,

I think Ego is Consciousness; the bit that makes me ME. It is the bit that consciously perceives things, and consciously decides things. I also think this is what is meant by Soul.

@Welshie,

Ego is a system's (an entity, structure, etc) capacity not only for awareness of what it is doing, but for reflection on what it is doing, or did, or plans to do. Ego requires time, in that a being living in an endless present cannot have any sense of self, because 'self' is the product of interpreting present events in terms of past events. 'I' refers to the sum of knowledge/memories about events; I am defined by my previous actions, thoughts, etc, which determine my present actions, thoughts, etc. Think of a end stage Alzeimer's patient; no memory-an endless present, no sense of self, no ego.

@BrightNoon,

Ego is the projection of the small 'i' of the Self. The functionality of Ego allows us to navigate, negotiate and interact with others in the social world. The Ego is like a mask a front which we present to the world.

The Ego is as a construction of the Self is a malleable entity, it can assume any form or presence depending upon the knowledge of the actor manipulating it. The Ego while much maligned does preform specific functions in the process of interaction with others. It helps us identify with others and at the same time defines the 'Other' To us.

CG Jung saw the major conflict within the Self as with the Ego/Mind. Simply put the Ego has the impression that it is the captain of the ship when its merely just a cabin boy on the cruise of life, albeit an essential one.

Ego's do require regular exercise and recognition to keep them healthy. An Australian band from the 70's Skyhooks did a great song entitled 'Ego is not a dirty word.'

YouTube - Skyhooks - Ego Is Not A Dirty Word (1975)

@Welshie,

Welshie wrote:

I think Ego is Consciousness; the bit that makes me ME. It is the bit that consciously perceives things, and consciously decides things. I also think this is what is meant by Soul.

I wouldn't say ego is just consciousness, because animals percieve and are conscious, but I wouldn't say they have an ego as such. The 'deciding things' is more on the right lines, I think.

I go with BrightNoon on the definition.

@BrightNoon,

BrightNoon wrote:

Ego is a system's (an entity, structure, etc) capacity not only for awareness of what it is doing, but for reflection on what it is doing, or did, or plans to do. Ego requires time, in that a being living in an endless present cannot have any sense of self, because 'self' is the product of interpreting present events in terms of past events. 'I' refers to the sum of knowledge/memories about events; I am defined by my previous actions, thoughts, etc, which determine my present actions, thoughts, etc. Think of a end stage Alzeimer's patient; no memory-an endless present, no sense of self, no ego.

BrightNoon, Smile

The above is admireable and complete, but for one element, emotion, emotion about all the above, emotion about ones interactions with the world, indeed emotions can create a proud aggressive ego or an ego which has become timid. An ego which is to small cannot dream of great feats. I have heard the ego's cage described once as a tiger cage, used to torture prisoners in Nam, it is a good analogy, for it reduces ego, reduces ones humanity. I believe the main source in everyday life of the damage done to ego, is done by other people, parents, teachers and peers, authority in general can be a problem for the developing ego. To violate an individual, is to violate them emotionally, to do damage to their abilities to function in the world, to reduce their ego. Ego is then self-esteem and self-esteem is ones relation to the world.

@boagie,

I lean towards the ego being the learned characteristics and reaction stimulus behind our perceived singular social behavioural patterns that works against not with our higher selves or higher being.

@alex717,

Ego: I, self.
A Latin root.

@alex717,

alex717 wrote:

In the sense of it being a manifestation of human thought and behavior.

Me. I'm an ego.
You. You're an ego.
The dear reader. (S)he's an ego.

In my mind, the ego is the basic definition of what constitutes a single human mind.

@alex717,

alex717 wrote:

In the sense of it being a manifestation of human thought and behavior.

Isn't that a definition? Not my definition, but why should anyone be interested in my definition when there are plenty of good dictionaries around?

@alex717,

The You, you make up. It then becomes the YOu, that You make up. Then, it becomes the YOU, that YOu make up. Ad Nauseum.

@cypressmoon,

cypressmoon;61681 wrote:

The You, you make up. It then becomes the YOu, that You make up. Then, it becomes the YOU, that YOu make up. Ad Nauseum.

I would ask a question >>>> Do I make up that "YOU" or it is made up somehow for me to experience it? :detective:

---------- Post added at 03:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:58 PM ----------

Ultracrepidarian;61125 wrote:

Isn't that a definition? Not my definition, but why should anyone be interested in my definition when there are plenty of good dictionaries around?

good point :Glasses:

@hammersklavier,

hammersklavier;60839 wrote:

Me. I'm an ego.
You. You're an ego.
The dear reader. (S)he's an ego.

In my mind, the ego is the basic definition of what constitutes a single human mind.

Ding Ding Ding, we have an enlightened one.

@alex717,

alex717;66703 wrote:

Ding Ding Ding, we have an enlightened one.

I don't understand. Is it fair to say you agree?

@alex717,

juri006 wrote:

I would ask a question >>>> Do I make up that "YOU" or it is made up somehow for me to experience it?

Wouldn't we make "it" up cooperatively? "I" might say something with a gesture, and "you" might respond with a gesture. Only, I'd ask what are you responding to? "Me"? What is that? Some words? As far as "I" know, (whatever that may be) I can't know who I am. It's not even something I can know. It's not a concept in the mind. If it were, I'd be able to say who I am. It's not a collection of concepts. I think this whole identity thing... you know, "me" and "you" and "we"... is just a convention to distinguish the players in the social game we play everyday. Mnemonics are at play with identity. I'm not a metaphor though. I'm not a sound or a collection of letters. I'm decaying biological matter - rotting flesh and bone - a glass body to the world. I let light in my eyes and digest it, transforming it with neurons, storing it with physical patterns and behaviors of biological matter, and using it to signal my tendons to contract behind my knee to take a step. This "I" ego, whatever, is utterly fake. It's an imaginary puppet of the body. It's something we make up as a community developing through time. It changes with the times, so to speak.

Yeah?

@cypressmoon,

I want to say something clever, but I wont.

@alex717,

alex717;48354 wrote:

In the sense of it being a manifestation of human thought and behavior.

It seems that you define ego in your question and comment.
It appears that 'ego' = 'thought'. Meditative, thoughtless states are notoriously ego free. Thats the whole point!
I'd think that 'pride' is somehow involved, or maybe thats just believing the perceptions that the egoPerspective presents.

@alex717,

alex717;48354 wrote:

In the sense of it being a manifestation of human thought and behavior.

Thinking about yourself, talking about yourself, worrying about yourself, everything about yourself. Recognizing that it is all about you is a start to controlling the problem, falling in love with others gets you on top of it.

@alex717,

This is an extremely difficult word to define for there are so many experiences we encounter in this reality that affect it. IMO. The ego is the innate self we bring with us when we enter this world. It is our "unique fingerprint". There are no two alike. In an ideal world it would be "egos in harmony". Then perhaps it would not be "ego" it would be human "synergy". We need the ego to survive. It gives us uniqueness that allows us to stand out in the world. Is "standing out" a good thing? I think that is the crux of the matter. We all want to belong and the ego is individual manifestation of "hear me", I have a right to be here. Boagie and BrightNoon are on to it in my opinion.

It can turn into "power plays" as we use the ego to manifest our strength and protect our weaknesses. It is the perfect selfishness and can get out of control such as can be understood in the word "egotist". The ego of the weak have been beaten into submission by the those whose ego's are indeed out of control due to knowledge, appearance and adaptibility this reality demands to survive. It is all about experiences and perception and all we "must" do that leads to the axiom "the survival of the fitess" with little regard to those who who do not fit the "standards" set by the "status quo". It is a lone warrier amid many and prevents serendipity of thought for it is hard of hearing and blind to those who cannot, for what ever reason, adapt. IMMHO.

William

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