Why are we attached to our egos to begin with?

[VeganAwake]

Because being alive is more familiar and usually more comforting than death which is unknowable.

[tsuki]

3 hours ago, Vision said:

Why did we inherit them?

@Vision  When you are under the influence of false beliefs, and reality does not meet your expectations, then you want to change reality so that its nature is different. This means that you are actively working to make things worse. This is how culture, or collective ego, was created and its intent is to actualize false beliefs. Its nature is inherently in opposition to what is real, or good.

Actualization of false beliefs is ego's terminal goals, but there also exist convergent instrumental goals, such as self-preservation, self-improvement (amassing power), conflict and cooperation. These are the characteristics of what we conventionally call ego in western culture, but these are not its defining traits. The definition of ego is the intent to actualize false beliefs, or in other words, ignorance.

Inheritance of false beliefs is a part of the self-preservation agenda. One of such false beliefs is the notion that you are an entity that is separate from its environment, that this environment is hostile and that you cannot rely upon anything other than your intellect. This set of host beliefs create the illusion of the small man living under your skin that has to be protected with deliberate thought.

Mind you, that 'ego', or 'collective ego' are not 'somethings', that you can grasp, smash, or otherwise fight. Ego is what you do when you react to your false beliefs. Collective ego is culture, which exists as institutions whose purpose is to spread ignorance.

Not all of your beliefs are false and not all institutions are collective ego. True beliefs, however, are like dead mind tissue that obstruct what is apparent, and serve no useful purpose. This is the method by which the collective ego twists and turns honest expressions of truth. It does so by teaching it without practical application, as a theoretical concept, thus making real knowledge beliefs that are up for misinterpretation. Other than that, there is a false belief in that our nature is inherently flawed and that we have to develop abstract virtues of character. This only gives rise to pride and comparison, which in turn create hierarchical order within society.

Edited November 16, 2021 by tsuki

[Vision]

On 16/11/2021 at 7:12 PM, Byun Sean said:

Why do you avoid pooping on your toilet when a spider is sitting on the edge of the seat.

@Byun SeanBecause I don't want it to bite me or crawl on me, or kill me. But see, these are just mental models that I've constructed from other people's experiences and my knowledge of spiders. I don't truly know with 100% certainty.

On 16/11/2021 at 7:18 PM, VeganAwake said:

Because being alive is more familiar and usually more comforting than death which is unknowable.

@VeganAwakeWhy do we prefer comfort?

On 16/11/2021 at 8:26 PM, tsuki said:

@Vision  When you are under the influence of false beliefs, and reality does not meet your expectations, then you want to change reality so that its nature is different. This means that you are actively working to make things worse. This is how culture, or collective ego, was created and its intent is to actualize false beliefs. Its nature is inherently in opposition to what is real, or good.

Actualization of false beliefs is ego's terminal goals, but there also exist convergent instrumental goals, such as self-preservation, self-improvement (amassing power), conflict and cooperation. These are the characteristics of what we conventionally call ego in western culture, but these are not its defining traits. The definition of ego is the intent to actualize false beliefs, or in other words, ignorance.

Inheritance of false beliefs is a part of the self-preservation agenda. One of such false beliefs is the notion that you are an entity that is separate from its environment, that this environment is hostile and that you cannot rely upon anything other than your intellect. This set of host beliefs create the illusion of the small man living under your skin that has to be protected with deliberate thought.

Mind you, that 'ego', or 'collective ego' are not 'somethings', that you can grasp, smash, or otherwise fight. Ego is what you do when you react to your false beliefs. Collective ego is culture, which exists as institutions whose purpose is to spread ignorance.

Not all of your beliefs are false and not all institutions are collective ego. True beliefs, however, are like dead mind tissue that obstruct what is apparent, and serve no useful purpose. This is the method by which the collective ego twists and turns honest expressions of truth. It does so by teaching it without practical application, as a theoretical concept, thus making real knowledge beliefs that are up for misinterpretation. Other than that, there is a false belief in that our nature is inherently flawed and that we have to develop abstract virtues of character. This only gives rise to pride and comparison, which in turn create hierarchical order within society.

@tsuki I don't understand. Could you simplify or elaborate? Thanks.

[tsuki]

1 minute ago, Vision said:

 

@tsuki I don't understand. Could you simplify or elaborate? Thanks.

Ask a more specific question.