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"Poison" is hyperbole but I read it as ego. Coming from an exclusively ego-centric place generally doesn't lead to the best outcomes in life. Unchecked ego is
by di456 4y ago
"Poison" is hyperbole but I read it as ego. Coming from an exclusively ego-centric place generally doesn't lead to the best outcomes in life.
Unchecked ego is part of narcissism spectrum. We all have some of it. Extreme narcissism is a cancer in modern culture. Maybe that's what OP meant by poison.
- fnordpiglet 4y agoThe poison I meant is the difference between communal animals and human society. The root of why we are so noxious and odious a beast is the self, and a lack of realization the self doesn’t exist as it’s impermanent and ever changing. But I give away my doctrine here :-)
- di456 4y agoI appreciate the perspective. If the self doesn't exist outside of our consciousness, while also being the most important and valued thing, it is quite the paradox of independence. Human society has a wide variety of cultural norms around this too. Being banished from the group into the wilderness was a death sentence in recent human history. It kept people in check and helped with survival of the group. Now we have instant access to life's needs and wants to the point where we take each other for granted. Our independent spirit can be a curse if taken too far. It's part of our DNA to need each other. For example a newborn can die if unheld for too long.