I See What Leo Meant About The Ego Being A Threat To Humanity's Survival

[Guest username]

At first, I only got a vague idea-- that if we were all self-serving, then we would disregard the good of the whole. I see so much more nuance to it now.

I recently got in a discussion with someone where I proposed a radically different view point,not a personal insult, but just considering a different perspective .

I was promptly told to fuck off and that I was complete moron and exactly what was wrong with the world.  Now, you may think this is where I judge the other person for being low-consciousness. And truth be told, that's what I did do in the moment. I was also angry and hurt. I tried to judge the other person, but then I remembered my training (my personal development work) and I took a step back and saw things from a broader perspective.

Rather than narrowly focusing on the few aspects of this other person that triggered me, I tried to understand. After about fifteen minutes of actively trying to empathize and gain understanding, I saw why this person acted the way they did. I also acknowledge a lot of aspects of the other person's higher-self that I had blinded my self to when I was initially judging.

I understood why this person was filled with anger and hate, to some degree. It was due to the same type of reaction that I initially had.  We judge people through the lens of our own egos, what Abraham Maslow called deficiency perception, rather than in a holistic, big picture way,or being perception. We judge and condemn instead of seeking to understand and empathize on a deep level.

Since we are so identified with our beliefs , we will do what we can to preserve them and thus our egos. This is why we resist actually trying to explore other paradigms.  This tendency to to debate rather than actually try to understand other points of view  is what prevents of from really understanding others, creating enemies and hostility rather than peace and love.

After realizing what I had done and how I had let go of my negative feelings toward this other person who condemned me, I felt bliss and lightness. I was simultaneously deeply moved by the insight that no matter how refined we make our legislation, our institutions, our technology, etc. ,we are limited in our development by our own egos and lack of consciousness.

Edited April 3, 2017 by username

[ChimpBrain]

I think you might enjoy a series of dialogues between David Bohm and Krishnamurti on this subject. How thought and the ego are the biggest threat to humanity, and how open, non-combative dialogue is the only way forward. I forget the exact name now but I'm sure you can find it if you just youtube search "Bohm Krisnamurti" https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bohm+krishnamurti

[Guest username]

1 hour ago, My_Name_Is_Mud said:

I agree with everything you wrote... in theory.

In the real world, some people are dicks. Some people are actively engaging in negative behavior toward others. After someone has proven to you they fit into one of the above categories, there is nothing wrong with thinking to yourself, "Gee, that person is an asshole".

We can have opinions, we are not meant to be mindless robots with no feelings about anything--just don't become attached to those opinions. Hopefully the person who has been engaging in their manipulative behavior will come to their senses and cut it out, and then you can change your opinion.

Then you don't agree with what I wrote, lol.

[Soulbass]

Isn't the ego about surviving?

Seems our biology/brain is 99% of the time concerned about surviving, even in the most common aspects of life.

What would happen if everyone of us, would stop feeling concerned about surviving?

Does the planet worry about being polluted? Or it's a projection of our mind on our environment?

How can we pretend being the most evolved specie on the planet?

Edited April 4, 2017 by Soulbass

[Guest username]

@Soulbass Look at those who have become enlightened. It is not an obstacle to survival to transcend ego. I could be wrong though. Not sure what humanity would look like if everyone was liberated, either.

[Soulbass]

@username Well, maybe non-dual state is concerned about being dual to survive^^

Edited April 5, 2017 by Soulbass

[alyra]

ego is a threat to society! 

 

ego drives society!

 

ego doesn't exist! 

 

ego is society exactly!

 

ego is nothingness!

 

ego is everything! 

 

ego is a powerful tool!

 

ego is just some symbol that means nothing!

 

ego is hell itself!

 

ego is heavenly! 

 

ego is definitely different than consciousness!

 

ego is consciousness exactly in essence - they are one and the same! 

 

you are ego but I am not! 

 

I am ego but you are not! 

 

you don't exist (but I definitely do - trust me you are just a figment of my imagination) 

 

ego will systematically dismantle all existence from the world!

Edited April 5, 2017 by aryberry