L4.4 Characteristics of Ego 1

Lecture #4.4

Forget-me-notCharacteristics of Ego

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March 2, 2013

L4.4 Characteristics of Ego 2

Characteristics of Ego• Ego has context, structure and relies

heavily on identification.• Context identification is conditioned by the

environment, upbringing and culture.• Structure is the thought process

underlying ego’s identification with form.

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Identification with things• Identification

with things e.g. the toy is the context (content). How the toy becomes part of “I” identity is the structure.

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Identification with things• Later, instead of

toys, my cars, my house and my life become part of “I”. How meaningful are these when death is near

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Identification with things

• Identification with body, gender & physical appearance: We can see this clearly with the TV Commercials that push beauty products.• http://www.youtube.com/watch

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Identification with Status and fame• Identification with

status: Holier than others, i.e. bigger ego, e.g. Bible story – lesson of the widow’s mites.

• Identification with fame: Ego needs to feel superior, e.g. movie stars, sport stars.

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Characteristics of Ego• Ego lives through comparison: chasing wealth

and fame, e.g.

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Characteristics of Ego• Ego tends to equate “Having” with “Being”. I have

therefore I am. But its satisfaction in having is relatively short lived. Why? Because form is never permanent.

• Ego is greedy and always wants more: Wanting is structural, so no amount of content can fulfill it, e.g. Ego always wants something from other people or situations. The hidden agenda is “ a sense of not enough yet”. The underlying emotions is fear. Again because identification with form is never permanent.

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Characteristics of Ego• Ego wants to be “right”: Even some religious practice

cannot rise above this, e.g. • 1. Catholic church Inquisition and Reformation• 2. Islamic jihad

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Characteristics of Ego• Ego does not want

peace. It wants drama and conflicts, e.g. action movies

• Ego loves complaining and resentment: to feel superior, to feel important, e.g name calling, shouting and physical violence.

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Characteristics of Ego• Ego likes role playing: e.g. villain (temper

tantrum), victim (seeking sympathy and pity), lover (falling in love – intensification of egoist wanting and needing), self definite roles in society (priest, doctor, farmer, merchant). So “you” are not relating to that person at all, but who “you” think you are is relating to who “you” think the other person is and vice versa.

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Characteristics of Ego• Parental role: don’t disappoint me. I

sacrificed so much for you. Parents know best. Don’t fight them. Ego will take up a defensive position. Recognize that you are dealing with their egoist self and not their true self.

• Ego can also takes things personally, e.g. “ Believe me, I know”, “Why don’t you believe me?” The action can be defensive, even aggressive.

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Characteristics of Ego

• Ego leads to greed.• Ego feeds

hostility• Ego is

stubborn, ignorant.

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Collective Ego

• Collective ego can act like individual ego, e.g. war, national conflicts.

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THE END

Thank You

Lecture #5 Who was the Buddha?

March 2, 2013

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