What does ego mean to you?

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   Daniel J. Neumannposted 13 years ago

   What does ego mean to you?
   
   I always think of the Psychoanalytic (Louis Althusser, preferably) definition of the ego (or Imaginary): a self-concept. To me, it has to do with sentience and self-awareness. Emotions cultivate this imagery to fulfill self-actualization—but ego plays a role (using our name as a symbol). For most people, however, ego only means conceitedness (which is only part of the ego).  What do you think?

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   ryancarterposted 13 years ago

   My short answer: yes.  Whenever I hear the word I immediately conjure up images of conceited, or at least overly self-appreciative, people.  We always hear of people with "big ego's" and seldom is the word used in a positive context.  In reality, everyone has to have some form of an ego, or, more accurately, some size of an ego.
    
   I love the definition you presented as the ego being a self-concept.  When I actually control my thoughts, and think of my ego logically, I realize that, to me, it's simply my perception of myself as I imagine others as seeing me.  Do they see a great man, an idiot, a hero, or something completely different?  This perception tends to drive my behavior and attitude, to an extent.

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   Apostle Jackposted 13 years ago

   Everyone have an ego.Every one talk about themsrlves or something concerning themselves,a job, a new house ,a new car, a wife or husband,a business you may have.Me ,I speak about God and His knowledge to my spirit to the world.There is a lot of egos on hubpages about their hubs,and how to make money.I honor God in my spirit and how He have prepared it.Others speak about their own works and glorify themselves.There is a big difference.Unknowningly to most people you can have agood and bad ego To have no ego at all would make you a dummy.I speak positive so my words come out as a CHALLENGE.

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   Dave Mathewsposted 13 years ago

   ego is belief in one's self " I ". I can do this or I can do that and I don't need anyone else's help.

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   Tom_Radfordposted 13 years ago

   This is the part where I say something really un-hilarious like 'That question is utterly beneath me!' ... but in truth ego is a fragile mistress and anyone creative will know this only too well. Mark Twain said he could go two weeks on a compliment ... that's all very well but some of us can barely survive ten seconds after a criticism! We try not to be precious and use criticism as a tool but sometimes it turns the sky grey and makes life not worth living .. then, just when you're about to throw in the towel and work in a frozen meat factory instead of following your dream...someone says something nice about your work and the sun comes out again. The ego is like juggling with two prozac pills and a claymore mine ...

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      Emanate Presenceposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      What fun imagery!

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   SidKempposted 12 years ago

   This reply is designed to integrate the psychological definition of ego with a practical perspective based in Buddhist practice. Everyone has a personality, a unique, every-varying pattern of thoughts and feelings. Part of that pattern is the self-image, the ideas we have about who and what we are, what we can, and can't do. The ego. I suggest, is the personality as distorted by the self-image and by fixed beliefs about the world, and other conditioning. Inasmuch as we live in our conditioning, we have an ego. Inasmuch as we let go of our conditioning, our preconceptions, and self-focused feelings that go with them, we develop a healthy, ego-less personality. A moment without ego is a moment of Awakening or Enlightenment, where "self and other drop away," as Zen Master Dogen put it. A sustained state of Awakening is where personality flourishes as a healthy and harmless expression of life, creating wonderful art, being lived by life, and serving all beings just by being who we are.

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   reeltaulkposted 12 years ago

   Ego is attached to nothing but pure destruction.  Well at least the definition of Ego that I know.  One who exercises and lives for their ego will rarely exercise what they feel, what they really want to do, who they reaLLY love, how they truly feel.  Most if any of the words that they spew are not sincere.  Sincerity comes in a form that they as well as whom ever they are speaking of must benefit together.  There is no such thing as taking a back seat and if it is done, it won't last but a few seconds.  In situations where you've been wrong or terrible, one whose Ego is grand finds it impossible to sincerely apologize to whomever they have angered or hurt.  Instead delusional thinking kicks in and the blame game begins.  To save face and "stay on top of ones game" the Ego masscarade continues until it self destructs.  "In the End" there is nothing but regret, embarrasment and the one thing it avoided all along.... Humility

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   Tommi Laaksonenposted 11 years ago

   I see ego as the separated "I", which holds my body, my name, my personality, my thoughts, my emotions and so on. When I look around me I see all the other egos with their own names and characters. But if I look beneath my ego I can feel the real "I", which is the force behind my ego. This "I" I also see underneath the other egos around me. This "I" is the same in all of us. The real "I" is who you are, and it's also who I am. It has no name, no form, no personality. There is no separation in the real "I". It's what I would call pure awareness. My opinion is that egos cannot die or be dissolved, they just change shape. They're in a constant flux. They're a way for pure awareness to come to know itself by the interaction and interconnectedness that your ego and mine share with each other. The problem with ego is when we become solely identified with it. It's when we start thinking we are only our egos. But the ego can come to know it's own nature, as the imagination of pure awareness. It doesn't really exist, so it cannot really die either.
   
   All in all I feel we should learn how to love our egos. Let the ego become strong and mature. Let the ego see it's own nature.

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   joyce31202posted 10 years ago

   Ego means to care for oneself in such a way that one wants the best. I will do no harm to anyone in this endeavor to care for myself however. I will give and do my best and appreciate that I have done so. I will recognize  the best in others also. It doesn't hurt to so this. I will also ask for help when needed. Remember 'no man is an island'.

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