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The ego has a million-and-one (and, always one more) ways to subtly cling to anyone trying to rid themselves of it. As far as I can tell, from observations in

The ego has a million-and-one (and, always one more) ways to subtly cling to anyone trying to rid themselves of it. As far as I can tell, from observations in myself, and of others, the ego is only something you can manage. You can experience moments of freedom (most reliably through psychedelics in my experience) that give you a taste of something beautiful and relieving. But the ego is just sleeping. The tentacles of the ego are attached to the very nature of your life itself - to very basic metabolic processes. It’ll always be with you - your existence and your ego’s existence are hopelessly intertwined.

verisimi 3y ago
I agree. I don't think its possible to kill one's ego. And that one shouldn't want to do that anyway. I would say, that one can educate the ego so that it is working with you not against you - one can try to align it with one's principles and remove the multiple incompatible desires in oneself. This involves internal reflection, awareness of one's emotions, acknowledgement of one's shadow self, love of honesty, endurance - and hopefully, at the end of the process you have emotions, thought and actions all working in an aligned, non-dissonant way.
- K0balt 3y ago
  It seems to be possible, but it requires extreme commitment. Different sects of Buddhism may show the way, but it is something people commit their life to completely to fully achieve. Even then, who is to say if the monks starving to death sitting on the floor aren’t smug in their achievement lol. Still, for those looking to reduce the role of ego in their life, it is a potential path. Ego reduction is a sufficient and useful goal for many people.
notnaut 3y ago
It’s my impression and experience that it’s far more directly built into language than metabolic processes, though certainly I see where you’re coming from. Shutting up for a long time is a pretty good way to test your comfort level with suppressing an inflated concept/value of self. Extending the shutting up to internal chatter, even more so.
- beaker52 3y ago
  Oh, great point. I believe this is why chanting meditation is a thing - they make internal chatter harder. There's also a pretty popular book that claims existence started with the word.

verisimi 3y ago

I agree. I don't think its possible to kill one's ego. And that one shouldn't want to do that anyway. I would say, that one can educate the ego so that it is working with you not against you - one can try to align it with one's principles and remove the multiple incompatible desires in oneself. This involves internal reflection, awareness of one's emotions, acknowledgement of one's shadow self, love of honesty, endurance - and hopefully, at the end of the process you have emotions, thought and actions all working in an aligned, non-dissonant way.

K0balt 3y ago
It seems to be possible, but it requires extreme commitment. Different sects of Buddhism may show the way, but it is something people commit their life to completely to fully achieve. Even then, who is to say if the monks starving to death sitting on the floor aren’t smug in their achievement lol. Still, for those looking to reduce the role of ego in their life, it is a potential path. Ego reduction is a sufficient and useful goal for many people.

notnaut 3y ago

It’s my impression and experience that it’s far more directly built into language than metabolic processes, though certainly I see where you’re coming from. Shutting up for a long time is a pretty good way to test your comfort level with suppressing an inflated concept/value of self. Extending the shutting up to internal chatter, even more so.

beaker52 3y ago
Oh, great point. I believe this is why chanting meditation is a thing - they make internal chatter harder. There's also a pretty popular book that claims existence started with the word.