💚 Patreon: patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy 💬 Discord: discord.gg/cA6fS5tJ ⌛ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:50 Ego's Origins 3:55 The Heroic Freudian Ego 5:40 The Jungian Ego Container 9:20 The Evil New Age Ego 12:04 The Inflated Mainstream Ego Part 1: Nietzschean Decadence 15:59 The Inflated Mainstream Ego Part 2: Icarus and Daedalus
You are doing a great job for humanity making these videos. I especially appreciate your deliberate choice of words in which I think you can gather the influence Jung has had in your thoughts, and I'm always a fangirl for Jung. Also is beautiful that you always manage to anchor everything in what feels like a marriage between everyday affairs and the psychology and metaphysics of spirituality
Much appreciated Lucio! I've never framed it that way before but you've hit the nail on the head of what I'm striving for: the marriage of the everyday and the metaphysical
Are you actually serious? You think this post-modernist crap similar to Ayn Rand is benefitting humanity? In a time where narcissism is running rampant no less? Jesus fucking Christ 🤦♂️
What an incredible video! So rich in detail and wide reaching. Great work. Makes me think of Peterson’s highlighting of the common misapprehension of the Christian term “meek”. Meek does not mean weak, kind and placid. Instead, he contends, it should be thought of someone who knows how to wield their sword, but keeps it sheathed. That one should work on their strength, power, boundaries, capability. But crucially also their level-headedness. Their critical thinking and empathy. I think this is summed up in the word temperance. But maybe also forgiveness. Following the perfect flight path, as Icarus’ father does, may not be possible at all times. But is a goal to strive towards maximising our flight time at the correct altitude. A truly beautiful video. A lot to chew on. Thank you! ❤
Funny enough, that same aspect of “control” IS what ego wants. It is what many spiritual traditions explain. The more you want to control your life, the bigger the selfishness, the bigger your action affects the world since it has to go “your way”. Therefore, more division, more conflict, jealousy, envy, pride, ambition, agression, greed… and the list goes on. Control means that the ego deludes itself that it has freedom so therefore it always fights for it. It’s a battle that ultimately never wins.
@@josemarialaguinge Yeah! I think a general thing one can do to really go in depth into this in your life is to notice one’s own selfishness and others as well. We are sort of mirrors to each other. So there are “levels” of how selfish you can be, and everyone is at a different level depending on their development, life experiences, etc. It’s some really profound stuff man
What an essential topic to do a bit of house cleaning in! Well spotted. I've found it really valuable to get sharp definitions and perspectives on the ego. I really think the kernel of our problems lies somewhere in the intersection between the western (Christian) worldview and the Buddhistic world view of the east. So thank you for the video, it was wonderful - loved the artworks!
Do you know David Bentley Hart ? He's a Christian theologian who caused a big fuss recently because of the title and content of his book Ye Are Gods. The title is taken from an interaction in the gospel of John where rhe Pharisees are accusing Jesus of blasphemy because of his claim that he's the Son of God.. Jesus then refers them to Psalm 82,6 where it says: “I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High. Anyway, a lot of Christians have engaged in much obfuscation to shield themselves from the obvious implications of this. Namely that jesus is pointing to the universal nature of this realisation of oneness with God and not a special thing only attained by the messiah, thus shifting the meaning of his instruction radically.. Hart draws from Vedanta and has done so in the past. It's a much better crossover than Buddhism in my view.. Because Vedanta actually has God, but it just says God is limited to Maya,,whereas the Self can be with or without Maya.. Advaita Vedanta also historically defeated the Buddhists in debate. Most of the Buddhists criticism of Vedanta has been directed at the dualistic schools.. A well known one in the west are the hari Krishnas.. Vedanta basically says that ego as the identification with a particular name and form is ok, what's false is the identification with the individual doer, or personal volition taking responsibility for actions.. This would definitely be an antidote to Christianities guilt and sin.. which is solely based on the idea of personal agency. In this Vedanta has far more of a role for God than Christianity.. i mean he's then the sole doer! I knew a teacher of Vedanta in India who ties fhis in with Buddhism, quoting Buddha as saying Events happen, deeds are done, But there is no individual doer thereof Obviously for Buddha there is 'no self' so how can there be a doer.. yet actions happen. Buddhism would rather just negate the doer, but wouldn't go so far as to affirm God as the doer, that's their approach of negation which is fine. This is also why Vedanta is a better crossover for Christianity. Buddhism is appealing to atheists though haha
@@michaelmcclure3383 Wow, thanks for the answer. *Really* interesting argument from David Bentley Hart! Jung also took Jesus Christ as merely an example of how we should live, i.e. Living authentically according to our "soul" in the midst of the worlds "oppression" and resistance. Makes we wonder how the catholic church could get it so wrong, if that were the case. Also reminds me of a midrash that goes: Human and God are twins. Fascinating, Thank you
@@foolosophia9255 hi, just noticed your comment now. Apparently in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, Christ returns and has to face rhe grand inquisition because they think he has made a big problem for them. They end up burning him at the stake as the worst heretic.. There is a nice dramatisation of this on UA-cam called the Grand Inquisitor acted by Sir John Gielgud. Worth watching. I timk you're right that a synthesis of the spiritual and the earthly is the challenge in our time. I mean they are both known to us.
I'm only halfway through but honestly, thank you for this video! I had kind of a crisis going on about the egoistic aspect of self improvement and you've given me wonderful new input.
I love how you slip in the phrase “The ghost in the machine”. It makes me want to continue researching and question its difference with “The body without organs”.
Fitting video to what im reading currently. Edinger in his "The Christian Archetype" quotes Jung as follow: "Exposure of the ego to such unconscious forces always generates some degree of possession or identification, even if only partial and temporary. Also the transformation drama cannot unfold without the ego's succumbing to 'necessary error' (felix culpa)." *with the follow footnote* 4. "Egocentricity is a necessary attribute of consciousness and is also its specific sin." (Jung, Mysterium Coniunctionis, CW 14, par. 364)
Yes, the word ego is used very loses in today's world. People who don't understand that the ego is themselves will never look at themselves to find answers to why they are the way they are. Great job and excellent explanations. 🖤🌹
(Not saying I'm right just conveying a different perspective.) Genuinely disagree, let me explain my point. You say that "People who don't understand that the ego is themselves will never look at themselves to find answers to why they are the way they are." The ego isn't fully ourselves due to the fact that we collect the ideas of who we think we are in the "story" we create for ourselves. This isn't the true self since our amalgamations of various personality types and mannerisms is that of the others we are constantly portraying as ourselves. The ego is everyone attempting to be an individual not the individual person pretending to be someone it isn't.
@@codyrebelcb I've learned over the years on taking inventories of myself. The person who I'm truly is my ego. My acketypes are part me not my prosona. The mask I wear to cover my shadow so society accepts me. I'm not my prosona but my ego.
@@renaissancefairyowldemon7686 what is the difference between the ego and the persona in this case though? The ego refers to our centre of consciousness which is responsible for our continuing sense of identity throughout our life and the persona is the social mask that we put on. Your persona is that of your archetypes because it's the archetypes that make up ones persona. Archetypes sometimes seem to help us cover up our ego by making up a story of our lives in our heads. The ego is just the "thought" behind one's persona they present to the world. The ego is the foundation for constructing the persona. When you rely on a persona, you (unconsciously) put forth to the outer world what you (want to) believe you are. E.g. If you want to be “quirky”, then you tell weird stories about yourself. If you want to be “bold”, then you do reckless things to impress people. Either way you look at it, glad we could both have a discussion over thoughts! Appreciate you!
@@codyrebelcb I like your veiw point and thank you. I have a learning disability with writing and trying to get better at it. I wish could express my thoughts the way others can though writing. This been great.
@@renaissancefairyowldemon7686 you've done better than 99% of the people I talk too, so you're doing great! Thank you for this wonderful conversation. I could tell right away I was talking to an open-minded person because of your ability to discuss and not judge or get defensive. Most people tend to base their identity on their beliefs. Enjoy your night and your journey, friend.
Oh man…this video is a fantastic dive into a piece of the history of psychotherapy… Ego being mixed in with the Buddhist idea of the self…genius insight, my friend. This is exactly what happened. A side effect of globalization and dubious translations. My mind is blown. You just added an important piece to a puzzle I didn’t know I was working on.
What would you say about Ego Death? How does one deal with the death of their Ego through things like divorce, death of a loved one, etc? How do you rebuild your Ego without becoming bitter and jaded?
You rule, man i wanted so badly a redemption of that word :) Cheers on the channel! Back on the subject, it so beautifully how Spinoza describes why one should first think of himself or herself (or whatever the self may be :)). Actually Not that we "should" first think of ourselves but that this is somehow the only way our nature works. As we all can guess, Spinoza is way too adequate on expressing and providing this than me :) So if you allow me a tiny recommendation here: In my opinion Spinoza's Ethics (the adapted version) is one of the best rational explanations of what "god" may really mean to a human being. Keep the good stuff happening and may everyone reading this have a great life! :) Cheers for the channel ones more :)
Dude, your videos are so rich; both intellectually and visually. I often have to rewind to hear what you said because I was too involved with the imagery lol. Well done.
@@michaelmcclure3383 thanks michael don't know about coming together just yet but it's getting there. This and the last video on dionysus vs the buddha are the first excursions into my new creative process and while they are a bit rougher than I'd like I think that's probably got to do with their being my own insights rather than an attempt to journalistically report on the ideas of other thinkers so hopefully it's beginning to find its feet and we can get back to the far ranging fun of the first 100 days but with a bit more polish and tending in a new and more specific direction
@@TheLivingPhilosophy I think that's what I'm noticing., More authority in your tone because you're presenting your own views snd insights which are coming across with simplicity and clarity. Like.a certain assimilation has occurred.and it's more spontaneous.
@@TheLivingPhilosophy I wonder if you might comment on something regarding Heraclitus and Nietzsche that's been troubling me. Now I know its your view that Aristotle made a caricature of Heraclitus by emphasising only the Panta Rhei aspect and not the Logos.. I agree completely, but it seems that many (i think taking their cue from Nietzsche, Foucault and non essentialism) also have a lopsided view of Heraclitus. One exponent even tried to tell me that The Logas itself is equivalent to becoming... That's exactly the lopsidedness I mean.. all becoming and no being. I might have to go watch your Heraclitus video again, but I feel their view is like saying Buddha only talked about impermanence and no self.. but not about Ajata (the unborn uncaused) or Nirvana (liberation from entanglement in samsara) haha It's funny that Parmenides is known for his emphasis on the changeless and absolute nature of Being "being is, non being is not" Whereas Heraclitus is known for Panta Rhei. But as you say they both present the paradox of being and becoming and are not lopsided. This keeps coming up in the 'perennial philosophy'. I know in the east the Buddhists called it the two truths and in Advaita Vedanta they talk about two orders of the one reality, the transactional reality and Sat Chit Ananda. So they've had to resolve the issue there, whereas I'm not sure it's that resolved in the western tradition. Although it may have been there in Parmenides and Heraclitus time. Currently people want to only emphasise becoming as some kind of antidote for too much otherworldliness, or maybe because of a deep conditioning in materialism that renders them incapable of seeing life in its whole. Not sure, but it doesn't seem to be in the actual spirit of Heraclitus, but more how they choose to view him. He's again being made a caricature of it seems.
Great prose as always! Your comment on the fact that we know the model of Daedalus, the healthy wisely-carried power, but not his mechanism made me think. I wonder if the condition for someone to emerge a Daedalus in our life is that they were once an Icarus. After all, couldn’t one only manage one’s ego wisely if they have known both sweet and sour of its power and reflected on them? If an Icarus is a precondition for a future Daedalus, the often-demonized ego inflation is not bad inherently. (And it sounds like your future video will cover that!) You might just need another Daedalus that would keep you, the young Icarus, from actually dying and let you live on.
Icarus is the embodiment of unearned success. Daedalus earned, through his efforts and experiences from his adventures, the ability to make inventions in difficult situations, like the wings they used to scape crete. Icarus was too young, too lacking of the humbleness of defeat, to have wings in such a dangerous situation, so his nature got the better of him (which is a normal thing a that stage of life). Daedalus emerges when you are blessed with the right amount of defeat, too low or too high will literally kill you physically or spiritually, i.e. inflated egos who seem to have lost their connection with the self. Although I wonder if it's really a lost of connection or that we are too stimulated and distracted now and some people can distract their way out of suffering their own encounter with themselves in an honest way.
Ego is the most abused word in today's society. It makes me cringe when I hear it thrown around bc it has no clear meaning, just a bad connotation. Like you hear "you have a big ego", then "love yourself", then "he's full of himself" [negative], then "he's filled with a sense of self" [positive], then "be selfless", then "you lack confidence"
I love this! I remember watching I think it was an episode in Season 5 of Peaky Blinders; Thomas Shelby in response to a character mentioning one’s vanity he says, “I believe the word is called ‘ego’ now”. I always loved that line, it served as a reminder of the evolution of language, and novelty of such concepts as ego.
Reminds me a lot of the book Ego and Archetype by Edward F. Edinger. He emphasises the importance of the Ego-Self Axis, so to speak to put the Ego in its proper function. He also mentions the Ikarus/Deadalus Story as a form of ego inflation and many more (Myth of Phaeton and Ixion). I personally find a reconciliation of the buddhist non-self teaching and the perspective of the proper Ego-Self Axis difficult, since the buddhists are absolutists in that regard. The closest I come to a perspective I feel ok with, is the perspective of the divine play. To engage with life, to take it serious enough to play a role in it, but also to see that it is ultimately a game and getting too serious about it is a symptom of forgetting that we are playing.
Man you're explaining these complex topics in a very amazing way, it'll be great if you make videos about analytic philosophy and existentialism. Wish you all the best
Great video, what i have been understanding so far about New Age is what you said in the final chapter of the video, they say that ego or the rational mind, can be used for healthy and positive things, is it ok to have a sense of who you are, to love your family, but at the same time if you are too identified with it, can lead to all sorts of harm to your self and the people that surrounds you. "When we think about our love for our family and friends as part of this ego structure then it is harder to see it as unequivocally evil" that's because ego itself it's not evil, i think the core fundation of ego is to survive since our ancestors had been living in years of violence and war, that's why fear or rejection to others is associated with ego, ego does not like what it's not familiar, and that's ok, it's a tool that keep us alive till this very day, i think the idea is to know how to use it properly and not being dominated by it
Only 5 minutes in and Im glad you made this vid. I get "annoyed" (for the lack of a better of word) of people blaming ego for everything. Its often what I would consider the opposite that most people seem to lack - the ability to set/maintain boundaries and garner respect from people that causes people to act up and then blame their ego for acting out. Or in other words they mix up thinking going with the flow is being egoless but really thats probably just being non confrontational which Im claiming to cause them to bottle it up and explode which then they blame the ego and want to limit it further. In trying to limit their ego, they actually attach themselves to trying to be identified as one with an egoless ego - which is one of the most egotistical things to do - noble? -> probably... but egotisical in the terms of iron gripping to an identity to define themselves by rather then more of the wu wei form of egolessness which in my head means letting ones ego be what it is or in other words an ever-changing and maybe more undefined ego or one that adapts to the situation. Basically having a more worry free ego (which still is one, because you cant really be ego free without temporary mind altering practices or brain damage or death I would think.) Okay Im going to continue watching now, just wanted to get my thoughts out so I can concentrate on the vid more.
The understanding of Bhudism you express here, is limited to fundamentalist schools of Bhudism, " concrete operational". The Wisdom and Compassion schools point to the non duality of Being and Transcendance. I appreciate your good work and its accessability. Thank You.
Probably. But one could say the ego exists to filter information out. If the ego is to be equated with the conscious mind, it can only process 3 to 7 bits of information per second in contrast to the unconious mind that can process up to 3 million bits. Eliminate the ego- duality , and the filter is potentially removed without the absent ego being swamped.
Thanks for another great video, Living Philosophy! My view (a Jungian-influenced perspective): the ego is a strange and powerful force. One must not allow it to take total control of one's desires and consciousness, as the ego is very domineering, and if a person becomes too enthralled in their own power and self love they will be consumed by the evil that comes with greed and the thirst for power. This is a tale as old as time. However, as Jung argued, simultaneously one should not attempt to suppress the ego, as a person without ego who rejects ego and all aspects of the self is equally capable of great wrongs, as if a person rejects all precepts of humanity and the sanctity of human life, they are capable of inflicting all kinds of misery and/or destroying all that they could be. The key is to find the middle ground between full ego and no ego, or the Id and the Superego, and to find the balance between the self and the universe, and the balance between self-actualisation and recognition of the self as part of the whole. In this way, people can be empathetic and love and help their fellow humans, and see this appreciation for life as more important than purely furthering the self, but without become totally nihilistic or losing all belief in themselves as people, which I think is the best way that people can be. This is largely in line with the Jungian philosophy that one should embrace their shadow without allowing it to consume them.
Have you ever thought about doing a video on Gilbert Simondon’s “Individuation in Light of Notions of Form and Information” ? I am reading it now with my retired professor and I find the notions of the pre-individual, the individual and the trans-individual very helpful and could add to this thoughtful video. Thanks again!
Awesome. This made me realise just what a deep and strong, almost dogmatic belief I have about power being corruptive. Even now I struggle to think otherwise, but to realise this belief is a good start to thinking about it. Thank you!
I watched your UA-cam video about the constrained vs the unconstrained before this one and I think Plato’s idea about “The Ring of Gyges” could be applied to both of these videos. Thanks!
Just another beautiful video James! Such a great commentary on our current times. I think we all feel that as a society, we are full of excess and ego inflation. We don't need a revolution to fix this problem, we need a reform. In simple terms, we've gone a bit ham over a holiday and we need to get our asses back into the gym. ;-) Cheers James.
I just discovered your marvellous channel. Brilliant work, thank you for what you are doing, I have many hours of great viewing and learning ahead of me. ☀
Your analysis is superb in this video! I am encouraged to find another individual who is willing to take this stance against the cultural mores of a pagan society that treats the ego as if it is literally Christ and needs to be crucified at every turn when it appears, while society also imputes the essence of the ego to its dark brother the id in a soul crushing avalanche of animalistic despotism in a primordial and Dionysian impetus with a self-righteous shallow pharisaical flair. This coupled with the remaining scientism of the 20th century which is trying to re-assert itself in the midst of an uprising of unconscious contents via the means of pop culture and media via the internet leads to a profound scenario where anyone who does seek to individuate is immediately ostracized and projected on with all of the unconscious angst of the rest of society as if they are doomed to repeat the fate of Icarus himself. I think with such in mind it is definitely of interest to study the cultural mores that would attend a healthy society in a Platonic or Aristotelian sense so as to rightly divine the proper path forward for those who wish to attain to the fullness of the self, and how such relegates ones duty towards others who have not demonstrated an interest in that. This is why Nietzsche's overman is of such vital interest - as such an individual would be capable of ascertaining the path forward for any and all individuals who do wish to individuate without sacrificing his own self-interest, and would be capable of navigating the collective unconscious and the paths of wisdom which would enable the principle of individuation to flourish while also avidly ascertaining the most apropos way for society at large to flourish.
There's another dynamic at play in the Icarus myth. Daedalus is the elder generation who crafted the mechanism that allowed Icarus, the younger generation, to fly. Daedalus knew the weaknesses of the wings, because he made them and as such, internalised the dangers of his power of flight well. Icarus, the younger gen., has not worked for his ability and as such, is ignorant of the dangers - he hasn't internalized them.
To deny the Ego is to deny Life. The Ego is what lets us orient ourself in the world. The trick is to master the Ego of the Self, and not become a slave to the collective Ego of the Herd. One last observation: Daedalus was a bad dad. If he had built trust wth his son by engaging playfully with Ikaros over many years then Ikaros would have listened and heeded his father's warning. Instead, Daedalus was an absent dad by "escaping" into his work- constructing the labyrinth. I see this parenting style everywhere in modernity. The true message of the story of Ikaros is commenting on the results of neglectful parenting- children who can't self-regulate. NOT flying too high to the sun (aspiration), as, to rise like a phoenix from the ashes and metamorphosis into a higher-type, one must first be horribly burnt by the Herd and through self-overcoming. Therein resides the worthiness in suffering.
I could define Ego (that's the word I can use, which would mean the way we've learned as human beings to navigate and associate concepts on reality, the unconscious persona we created in order to create sence of our world in relation to the experiences we have with the external world) as the exoskeleton of the spirit (or mind, god, dasein, whatever you'd want to call that fundamental essence of being). It's not an enemy, the same way words aren't an enemy. The problem is when the silence is discomfortable, we need meaningless words to fill it. The words, like the Ego, are things that come to existence through our interaction with the world, and can be used to navigate or to anchor indefinitely. Ultimately, it's the silence that is closer to what is trully real, because words are only symbols to mean abstractions, and can never convey the true unity of our desire to communicate - but without them, we'd have to live in an obscure way and acommodate ourselves within a radical way of being. In the same way, what's trully us isn't the thoughts, actions or even the values, but that thing which is immanent on us - we are the same body since we were born and till we die. Ego, however, helps us move around on the world, while not being as necessary as words, in my opinion. You can feel love without ever uttering a string of sounds which abstractly means "love", and that love which you feel will be purer than any conceptual box you can put it in. I think that we are like a cat playing with a thread. We are the cat (pure being) playing with a ball of thread (our thoughts and conceptualizations). Ego is the unconscious idea that you're both the cat and the ball of thread.
As a teenager going through life, I found your vids very helpful. I grew up without really having any parental authority due to the demanding work my parents have, which lead me to make myself understand things that are out of my field. One of your vids that really helped me is "the psychology of the wounded healer," which talks about finding the meaning in suffering and you will find the meaning in life. I hope that you never stop making this type of vids since they're very helpful to someone who's still trying to understand themselves and the world.
Thank you for sharing this informative video, I had learned a lot and needed to hear this. Watching this video also served as a reminder to me that World Ego Awareness Day is coming up this year on May 11th.😊
the buddhist "anatta" (no self) is most likely the best place to start. is there an "I" at all? or just the brain responding to sensory/mental stimulus .
I have always thought that the story of Icarus is more related to the attachment of the ego, or convergence, with the superego, which is what causes inflation, but of course it can also be the other way around: too much convergence with the id, which is known to happen more often in our time, can also cause the flight of Icarus.
Interesting point. The imagery fits much more with what you're saying but I guess because it's a youth I've always associated more with Id energy. I guess it is more the ego going beyond its bounds in whatever shape that may take
By far this is the best video uve ever made... at least very helpful to me... one question though... I always understood the ego meant the 'I' so in that sense i thought the budhaa never meant it's wrong to be aware of the ego but its wrong to attach any meaning to it such as desire or any other thing but just to let it be as it is and if it changes or doesn't its all the same n the individual should nt b affected by this... please clarify if this line of sight correct or offer an alternative view if u hav one
It’s important to mention Buddhism doesn’t actually see ego as evil, it’s the western interpretation of Buddhism that causes them to see ego as evil. Ego is just ignorance, or assumption. That’s not exactly the same as evil. Also what are your thoughts on Elon musk? He seems to represent both good and bad aspects of ego as a large
Agreed and that's why I tried to connect it more with Theosophist New Age thinking at the start though in the middle it did just become Buddhism. As for Musk I'm a big fan. Not a big fan of the existence of billionaires but I don't think that's their fault but a systemic flaw. I just really enjoy Musk I really think he's acting in good faith. Obviously I should add the qualifier that he's said some appalling things that make me cringe but that is very far from making him a bad person in my mind
In order to govern a flock of ever consuming, all obeying human - sheep one needs to accuse Ego for everything that is evil, in the world. In my opinion, this is what isolation from the ways of the crowd is good for : making a safe space between your psyche and the crowd where you can contemplate on your experiences and develop your self. Ego is not evil. At least not as much as the manipulation of it is.
Thank you for the great video! The problem of ego was bothering me for some time now, especially the whole blurriness between freudian, buddhist and newage ideas. I disagree a bit with the presentation of the buddhist view though. In my understanding of it, the ego should be abolished not because it is unmoral but simply because it is an illusion and in vain so to speak, like a fight in quicksand. The monks may be able to get rid of it but that requires a lot of practical discipline which may replace the emotional structure that a strong "I" is providing. Most people on the other hand can just try to understand some of the ideas and stop trying so hard. The newage movement makes a moral problem out of it. So for me it is not that the ego is evil but that it is a social construct that is not to be taken for granted. Therefore it is a bit dangerous to compare these western dualistic concepts and distinctions (like the Superego against the Id) to eastern ideas that tend to think more in terms of 'oneness' and dialectic in the first place. When Freud structured the psyche in three parts, didn't he maybe reinforce the separation and confliction that was already there to be found? On the other hand the jungian idea that you need a healthy ego first, in order to transform it later on is quite interesting and exiting to me and i somewhat agree. Still for me it also suffers from cultural blindness. Maybe in a less individualistic society you would not need such a well-fortified ego first? Shouldn't you also try to not lose your true self in the first place instead of betraying it for worldly reasons and than trying to get it back after you accumulated enough money and power to be 'safe'? That seems to be somewhat counterproductive towards collective social transformation as well. In the end, Jung is more of a spiritual/psyc. mystic to me, rather than a philosopher and has quite some connection to the new age scene himself in the end... Speaking of such, I also had to think of another interesting movement that thinks of the Ego in a positive way and that is Satanism ;D The idea here is that there is also a "left hand path" of individuation to follow, that goes beyond social morality and that is embracing the personal ego and power. All in all it is a very interesting topic and you helped me think with this vid-essay, thanks! It would also be interesting to go deeper into the problem whether there is a true self beyond the Ego (which is also bothering me a lot). I generally don't have a lot of love for universal truths and such, but to totally abolish the idea of the true self also makes me feel quite uncomfortable haha :P Cheers!
I like to draw your attention to Iain McGilchrist. I wonder what what you will make out of his cognitions. As he lives in the Isle of Skye, you have already the northern Atlantic in common.
Great title and topic, had to click as soon as I could when I saw it in my subscriptions. However I must admit it seemed a bit more rancorous than well argued. Not to worry, I think it's probably just that it could have been a mini series of 4 videos rather than a single video. There was also something in the appeal to the authority of Freud and Jung that seemed a bit uncritical and unconnected to current work to improve on their early attempts to birth their discipline. Anyhow, totally agree that ego is useful, especially when compared to the extremes of superego and id. But honestly there are very few humans that live like Spock from Star Trek or Animal from the Muppets, so in a way "the I" is kind of just the norm for those of us who wake up one day and realize we're a primate in the species homo sapiens.
Really appreciate the honest feedback Bruce thanks for making the effort to share it that gives me something to think about which is never a bad thing!
Before renouncing your Ego grow one!) Excellent video, I’m tired of this nonsense pseudo spirituality of weak irresponsible cowards; there is a grace and beauty when you reject your worldly status for something higher, there is none if there is nothing to reject.
The Virtuous Noble Lie of the Ego and the Trap of the Ocult Agreement of Consent In the Fragmented Consciousness of Compartmentalized Ego It Decides not to Heal the Ego but to Eliminate It And this is Suicide The Ego is the Pilot of the Soul in this Living Dimension A Being without an Ego is like an Abandoned House Opened to All Kind of Invasions of Bandits and Criminals
Annoying that the framework for most self help titles etc are “success, business, money, brand” like stfu - none of that is related. It’s lame as hell seeing the ripples in publication’s of the influence on rich people and commerce students who prob follow some dumb influencer who gave a top 10 books lists..idkk
Save the Ego from modern science of Neuropsychology and mythic identification with "The Fallen One" and focus more on Max Stirner and his excellent Redemption of "The Ego and His Own: The Case of the Individual Against Authority". I began at the wrong end of this evaluation in an Western Society saturated by The (FAKE) Christian Church. Let us wake -up. Ego has a place beyond spiritually. I found distinction in Eastern Philosophy deeply satisfying.
Wonderful video. Humidity is s False virtue. Think about it... humility is something invented so somebody's success wouldn't offend the less successful. There's a difference between self pride (appropriate) and (inappropriate) arrogance which is making others feel inferior. Humility is allowing other people to shape you... to make you seem spiritual by making your self image inferior to what it should be.That's the inverse of arrogance and still harmful. Love your ego and love other people's no two are alike. F+++ humility, if you have a healthy self image, you don't need it, and if your friends think you do, you don't need them ether. 🧠+🫀=💪
💚 Patreon: patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy
💬 Discord: discord.gg/cA6fS5tJ
⌛ Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:50 Ego's Origins
3:55 The Heroic Freudian Ego
5:40 The Jungian Ego Container
9:20 The Evil New Age Ego
12:04 The Inflated Mainstream Ego Part 1: Nietzschean Decadence
15:59 The Inflated Mainstream Ego Part 2: Icarus and Daedalus
You are doing a great job for humanity making these videos. I especially appreciate your deliberate choice of words in which I think you can gather the influence Jung has had in your thoughts, and I'm always a fangirl for Jung. Also is beautiful that you always manage to anchor everything in what feels like a marriage between everyday affairs and the psychology and metaphysics of spirituality
Much appreciated Lucio! I've never framed it that way before but you've hit the nail on the head of what I'm striving for: the marriage of the everyday and the metaphysical
Are you actually serious? You think this post-modernist crap similar to Ayn Rand is benefitting humanity? In a time where narcissism is running rampant no less? Jesus fucking Christ 🤦♂️
What an incredible video! So rich in detail and wide reaching. Great work.
Makes me think of Peterson’s highlighting of the common misapprehension of the Christian term “meek”. Meek does not mean weak, kind and placid. Instead, he contends, it should be thought of someone who knows how to wield their sword, but keeps it sheathed. That one should work on their strength, power, boundaries, capability. But crucially also their level-headedness. Their critical thinking and empathy.
I think this is summed up in the word temperance. But maybe also forgiveness. Following the perfect flight path, as Icarus’ father does, may not be possible at all times. But is a goal to strive towards maximising our flight time at the correct altitude.
A truly beautiful video. A lot to chew on. Thank you! ❤
Ego is like the shadow, it is needed, you just have to learn to control it. I also think that is the true enlightenment.
Funny enough, that same aspect of “control” IS what ego wants. It is what many spiritual traditions explain. The more you want to control your life, the bigger the selfishness, the bigger your action affects the world since it has to go “your way”. Therefore, more division, more conflict, jealousy, envy, pride, ambition, agression, greed… and the list goes on.
Control means that the ego deludes itself that it has freedom so therefore it always fights for it. It’s a battle that ultimately never wins.
@@1yanyiel Great way to put it, thanks for your words.
@@josemarialaguinge Yeah! I think a general thing one can do to really go in depth into this in your life is to notice one’s own selfishness and others as well. We are sort of mirrors to each other.
So there are “levels” of how selfish you can be, and everyone is at a different level depending on their development, life experiences, etc. It’s some really profound stuff man
@@1yanyiel I agree, the classic projection someone does to other people. Having that type of insight is really useful.
What an essential topic to do a bit of house cleaning in! Well spotted. I've found it really valuable to get sharp definitions and perspectives on the ego. I really think the kernel of our problems lies somewhere in the intersection between the western (Christian) worldview and the Buddhistic world view of the east. So thank you for the video, it was wonderful - loved the artworks!
Do you know David Bentley Hart ? He's a Christian theologian who caused a big fuss recently because of the title and content of his book Ye Are Gods. The title is taken from an interaction in the gospel of John where rhe Pharisees are accusing Jesus of blasphemy because of his claim that he's the Son of God.. Jesus then refers them to Psalm 82,6 where it says:
“I said, ‘You are “gods”;
you are all sons of the Most High.
Anyway, a lot of Christians have engaged in much obfuscation to shield themselves from the obvious implications of this. Namely that jesus is pointing to the universal nature of this realisation of oneness with God and not a special thing only attained by the messiah, thus shifting the meaning of his instruction radically..
Hart draws from Vedanta and has done so in the past. It's a much better crossover than Buddhism in my view.. Because Vedanta actually has God, but it just says God is limited to Maya,,whereas the Self can be with or without Maya.. Advaita Vedanta also historically defeated the Buddhists in debate. Most of the Buddhists criticism of Vedanta has been directed at the dualistic schools.. A well known one in the west are the hari Krishnas..
Vedanta basically says that ego as the identification with a particular name and form is ok, what's false is the identification with the individual doer, or personal volition taking responsibility for actions.. This would definitely be an antidote to Christianities guilt and sin.. which is solely based on the idea of personal agency. In this Vedanta has far more of a role for God than Christianity.. i mean he's then the sole doer! I knew a teacher of Vedanta in India who ties fhis in with Buddhism, quoting Buddha as saying
Events happen, deeds are done,
But there is no individual doer thereof
Obviously for Buddha there is 'no self' so how can there be a doer.. yet actions happen. Buddhism would rather just negate the doer, but wouldn't go so far as to affirm God as the doer, that's their approach of negation which is fine. This is also why Vedanta is a better crossover for Christianity. Buddhism is appealing to atheists though haha
@@michaelmcclure3383 Wow, thanks for the answer. *Really* interesting argument from David Bentley Hart! Jung also took Jesus Christ as merely an example of how we should live, i.e. Living authentically according to our "soul" in the midst of the worlds "oppression" and resistance.
Makes we wonder how the catholic church could get it so wrong, if that were the case.
Also reminds me of a midrash that goes: Human and God are twins.
Fascinating, Thank you
@@foolosophia9255 hi, just noticed your comment now.
Apparently in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, Christ returns and has to face rhe grand inquisition because they think he has made a big problem for them. They end up burning him at the stake as the worst heretic.. There is a nice dramatisation of this on UA-cam called the Grand Inquisitor acted by Sir John Gielgud. Worth watching.
I timk you're right that a synthesis of the spiritual and the earthly is the challenge in our time. I mean they are both known to us.
Omg "I is the Enemy" with Ali G @ 3:40
Priceless 🤣🤣
Hahaha I was wondering if anyone would notice! I'm disproportionately proud of that image 😂
I'm only halfway through but honestly, thank you for this video! I had kind of a crisis going on about the egoistic aspect of self improvement and you've given me wonderful new input.
I like how you challenge cliched thinking. Thinking that many of us have adopted without realising it.
I love how you slip in the phrase “The ghost in the machine”. It makes me want to continue researching and question its difference with “The body without organs”.
This has been on my mind for weeks. Well done, brother.
Thanks for helping and advocating for Ego’s redemption
Fitting video to what im reading currently.
Edinger in his "The Christian Archetype" quotes Jung as follow: "Exposure of the ego to such unconscious forces always generates some degree of possession or identification, even if only partial and temporary. Also the transformation drama cannot unfold without the ego's succumbing to 'necessary error' (felix culpa)." *with the follow footnote* 4. "Egocentricity is a necessary attribute of consciousness and is also its specific sin." (Jung, Mysterium Coniunctionis, CW 14, par. 364)
Amazing! Love Edinger
Yes, the word ego is used very loses in today's world. People who don't understand that the ego is themselves will never look at themselves to find answers to why they are the way they are. Great job and excellent explanations. 🖤🌹
(Not saying I'm right just conveying a different perspective.)
Genuinely disagree, let me explain my point. You say that "People who don't understand that the ego is themselves will never look at themselves to find answers to why they are the way they are."
The ego isn't fully ourselves due to the fact that we collect the ideas of who we think we are in the "story" we create for ourselves. This isn't the true self since our amalgamations of various personality types and mannerisms is that of the others we are constantly portraying as ourselves. The ego is everyone attempting to be an individual not the individual person pretending to be someone it isn't.
@@codyrebelcb I've learned over the years on taking inventories of myself. The person who I'm truly is my ego. My acketypes are part me not my prosona. The mask I wear to cover my shadow so society accepts me. I'm not my prosona but my ego.
@@renaissancefairyowldemon7686 what is the difference between the ego and the persona in this case though?
The ego refers to our centre of consciousness which is responsible for our continuing sense of identity throughout our life and the persona is the social mask that we put on. Your persona is that of your archetypes because it's the archetypes that make up ones persona. Archetypes sometimes seem to help us cover up our ego by making up a story of our lives in our heads. The ego is just the "thought" behind one's persona they present to the world.
The ego is the foundation for constructing the persona. When you rely on a persona, you (unconsciously) put forth to the outer world what you (want to) believe you are. E.g. If you want to be “quirky”, then you tell weird stories about yourself. If you want to be “bold”, then you do reckless things to impress people.
Either way you look at it, glad we could both have a discussion over thoughts! Appreciate you!
@@codyrebelcb I like your veiw point and thank you. I have a learning disability with writing and trying to get better at it. I wish could express my thoughts the way others can though writing. This been great.
@@renaissancefairyowldemon7686 you've done better than 99% of the people I talk too, so you're doing great! Thank you for this wonderful conversation. I could tell right away I was talking to an open-minded person because of your ability to discuss and not judge or get defensive. Most people tend to base their identity on their beliefs. Enjoy your night and your journey, friend.
Oh man…this video is a fantastic dive into a piece of the history of psychotherapy…
Ego being mixed in with the Buddhist idea of the self…genius insight, my friend.
This is exactly what happened.
A side effect of globalization and dubious translations.
My mind is blown. You just added an important piece to a puzzle I didn’t know I was working on.
This deserves all the views fr fr good work and an important distinction on the different egos according to different interpretations
Congratulations on 80k Subscribers! Keep it up!
Cheers Bill!
What would you say about Ego Death? How does one deal with the death of their Ego through things like divorce, death of a loved one, etc? How do you rebuild your Ego without becoming bitter and jaded?
You rule, man i wanted so badly a redemption of that word :) Cheers on the channel!
Back on the subject, it so beautifully how Spinoza describes why one should first think of himself or herself (or whatever the self may be :)). Actually Not that we "should" first think of ourselves but that this is somehow the only way our nature works. As we all can guess, Spinoza is way too adequate on expressing and providing this than me :) So if you allow me a tiny recommendation here: In my opinion Spinoza's Ethics (the adapted version) is one of the best rational explanations of what "god" may really mean to a human being.
Keep the good stuff happening and may everyone reading this have a great life! :) Cheers for the channel ones more :)
Dude, your videos are so rich; both intellectually and visually. I often have to rewind to hear what you said because I was too involved with the imagery lol. Well done.
I've been looking for this video for decades. I may watch it several times :)
I have been trying to explain this concept for a while now. Thanks for justifying my belief. You are a good philosopher.
Thanks
Cheers michael!
@@TheLivingPhilosophy great video. Seems like things are coming together.
@@michaelmcclure3383 thanks michael don't know about coming together just yet but it's getting there. This and the last video on dionysus vs the buddha are the first excursions into my new creative process and while they are a bit rougher than I'd like I think that's probably got to do with their being my own insights rather than an attempt to journalistically report on the ideas of other thinkers so hopefully it's beginning to find its feet and we can get back to the far ranging fun of the first 100 days but with a bit more polish and tending in a new and more specific direction
@@TheLivingPhilosophy I think that's what I'm noticing., More authority in your tone because you're presenting your own views snd insights which are coming across with simplicity and clarity. Like.a certain assimilation has occurred.and it's more spontaneous.
@@TheLivingPhilosophy I wonder if you might comment on something regarding Heraclitus and Nietzsche that's been troubling me.
Now I know its your view that Aristotle made a caricature of Heraclitus by emphasising only the Panta Rhei aspect and not the Logos.. I agree completely, but it seems that many (i think taking their cue from Nietzsche, Foucault and non essentialism) also have a lopsided view of Heraclitus. One exponent even tried to tell me that The Logas itself is equivalent to becoming... That's exactly the lopsidedness I mean.. all becoming and no being.
I might have to go watch your Heraclitus video again, but I feel their view is like saying Buddha only talked about impermanence and no self.. but not about Ajata (the unborn uncaused) or Nirvana (liberation from entanglement in samsara) haha
It's funny that Parmenides is known for his emphasis on the changeless and absolute nature of Being "being is, non being is not" Whereas Heraclitus is known for Panta Rhei. But as you say they both present the paradox of being and becoming and are not lopsided. This keeps coming up in the 'perennial philosophy'. I know in the east the Buddhists called it the two truths and in Advaita Vedanta they talk about two orders of the one reality, the transactional reality and Sat Chit Ananda. So they've had to resolve the issue there, whereas I'm not sure it's that resolved in the western tradition. Although it may have been there in Parmenides and Heraclitus time.
Currently people want to only emphasise becoming as some kind of antidote for too much otherworldliness, or maybe because of a deep conditioning in materialism that renders them incapable of seeing life in its whole. Not sure, but it doesn't seem to be in the actual spirit of Heraclitus, but more how they choose to view him. He's again being made a caricature of it seems.
Great prose as always!
Your comment on the fact that we know the model of Daedalus, the healthy wisely-carried power, but not his mechanism made me think. I wonder if the condition for someone to emerge a Daedalus in our life is that they were once an Icarus. After all, couldn’t one only manage one’s ego wisely if they have known both sweet and sour of its power and reflected on them? If an Icarus is a precondition for a future Daedalus, the often-demonized ego inflation is not bad inherently. (And it sounds like your future video will cover that!)
You might just need another Daedalus that would keep you, the young Icarus, from actually dying and let you live on.
Icarus is the embodiment of unearned success. Daedalus earned, through his efforts and experiences from his adventures, the ability to make inventions in difficult situations, like the wings they used to scape crete. Icarus was too young, too lacking of the humbleness of defeat, to have wings in such a dangerous situation, so his nature got the better of him (which is a normal thing a that stage of life). Daedalus emerges when you are blessed with the right amount of defeat, too low or too high will literally kill you physically or spiritually, i.e. inflated egos who seem to have lost their connection with the self.
Although I wonder if it's really a lost of connection or that we are too stimulated and distracted now and some people can distract their way out of suffering their own encounter with themselves in an honest way.
Ego is the most abused word in today's society. It makes me cringe when I hear it thrown around bc it has no clear meaning, just a bad connotation. Like you hear "you have a big ego", then "love yourself", then "he's full of himself" [negative], then "he's filled with a sense of self" [positive], then "be selfless", then "you lack confidence"
I love this! I remember watching I think it was an episode in Season 5 of Peaky Blinders; Thomas Shelby in response to a character mentioning one’s vanity he says, “I believe the word is called ‘ego’ now”.
I always loved that line, it served as a reminder of the evolution of language, and novelty of such concepts as ego.
Haha that's a gem!
Reminds me a lot of the book Ego and Archetype by Edward F. Edinger. He emphasises the importance of the Ego-Self Axis, so to speak to put the Ego in its proper function. He also mentions the Ikarus/Deadalus Story as a form of ego inflation and many more (Myth of Phaeton and Ixion). I personally find a reconciliation of the buddhist non-self teaching and the perspective of the proper Ego-Self Axis difficult, since the buddhists are absolutists in that regard. The closest I come to a perspective I feel ok with, is the perspective of the divine play. To engage with life, to take it serious enough to play a role in it, but also to see that it is ultimately a game and getting too serious about it is a symptom of forgetting that we are playing.
Man you're explaining these complex topics in a very amazing way, it'll be great if you make videos about analytic philosophy and existentialism. Wish you all the best
Great video, what i have been understanding so far about New Age is what you said in the final chapter of the video, they say that ego or the rational mind, can be used for healthy and positive things, is it ok to have a sense of who you are, to love your family, but at the same time if you are too identified with it, can lead to all sorts of harm to your self and the people that surrounds you. "When we think about our love for our family and friends as part of this ego structure then it is harder to see it as unequivocally evil" that's because ego itself it's not evil, i think the core fundation of ego is to survive since our ancestors had been living in years of violence and war, that's why fear or rejection to others is associated with ego, ego does not like what it's not familiar, and that's ok, it's a tool that keep us alive till this very day, i think the idea is to know how to use it properly and not being dominated by it
An important work, my friend. We use many terms carelessly, socially, without consideration and depth.
Only 5 minutes in and Im glad you made this vid.
I get "annoyed" (for the lack of a better of word) of people blaming ego for everything. Its often what I would consider the opposite that most people seem to lack - the ability to set/maintain boundaries and garner respect from people that causes people to act up and then blame their ego for acting out. Or in other words they mix up thinking going with the flow is being egoless but really thats probably just being non confrontational which Im claiming to cause them to bottle it up and explode which then they blame the ego and want to limit it further.
In trying to limit their ego, they actually attach themselves to trying to be identified as one with an egoless ego - which is one of the most egotistical things to do - noble? -> probably... but egotisical in the terms of iron gripping to an identity to define themselves by rather then more of the wu wei form of egolessness which in my head means letting ones ego be what it is or in other words an ever-changing and maybe more undefined ego or one that adapts to the situation. Basically having a more worry free ego (which still is one, because you cant really be ego free without temporary mind altering practices or brain damage or death I would think.)
Okay Im going to continue watching now, just wanted to get my thoughts out so I can concentrate on the vid more.
Another banger discussion and synthesis of complex topics. Thanks for putting it together!
I've always favoured Zaphod Beeblebrox's philosophy:
"If there's anything more important than my ego around, I want it caught and shot now"
The understanding of Bhudism you express here, is limited to fundamentalist schools of Bhudism, " concrete operational". The Wisdom and Compassion schools point to the non duality of Being and Transcendance. I appreciate your good work and its accessability. Thank You.
without the ego there would be no struggle/desire to understand reality
Very good point. I game cannot be played without a character.
Nada disso que faz isso é a alma ,aqui não podes ouvir criaturas de ego vai aos chamados primitivos e vê o que dizem sobre o ego.
@@davidsantos1630 in english or italian...thank you
Probably. But one could say the ego exists to filter information out. If the ego is to be equated with the conscious mind, it can only process 3 to 7 bits of information per second in contrast to the unconious mind that can process up to 3 million bits. Eliminate the ego- duality , and the filter is potentially removed without the absent ego being swamped.
That doesn’t make any fucking sense whatsoever 😂 what evidence is there for this? What logic are you using?
What a great study of the ego… I especially loved the Icarus (and Daedalus!) part at the end!
Man you are one of the best original thinkers on the net. Power to you!
Thanks!
Thank you Fred
Fantastically insightful video as always!
Thanks a million Ellis!
Really great video. I like the practicalness of it, especially on how one's life should be organized in the first half compared to the latter half.
Cheers Adrian!
Thanks for another great video, Living Philosophy!
My view (a Jungian-influenced perspective): the ego is a strange and powerful force. One must not allow it to take total control of one's desires and consciousness, as the ego is very domineering, and if a person becomes too enthralled in their own power and self love they will be consumed by the evil that comes with greed and the thirst for power. This is a tale as old as time. However, as Jung argued, simultaneously one should not attempt to suppress the ego, as a person without ego who rejects ego and all aspects of the self is equally capable of great wrongs, as if a person rejects all precepts of humanity and the sanctity of human life, they are capable of inflicting all kinds of misery and/or destroying all that they could be.
The key is to find the middle ground between full ego and no ego, or the Id and the Superego, and to find the balance between the self and the universe, and the balance between self-actualisation and recognition of the self as part of the whole. In this way, people can be empathetic and love and help their fellow humans, and see this appreciation for life as more important than purely furthering the self, but without become totally nihilistic or losing all belief in themselves as people, which I think is the best way that people can be. This is largely in line with the Jungian philosophy that one should embrace their shadow without allowing it to consume them.
Wow! So much to think about in this video.
Amazing video. Your channel has grown so much, I´m so happy for you. Please keep up sharing such quality content, love, love, love.❤
Thanks DCR!
Very instructive, objective, great analytical skills and synthesis. thanks!
Have you ever thought about doing a video on Gilbert Simondon’s “Individuation in Light of Notions of Form and Information” ? I am reading it now with my retired professor and I find the notions of the pre-individual, the individual and the trans-individual very helpful and could add to this thoughtful video. Thanks again!
Commendable endeavor, my man
Excellent commentary!!
Awesome. This made me realise just what a deep and strong, almost dogmatic belief I have about power being corruptive. Even now I struggle to think otherwise, but to realise this belief is a good start to thinking about it. Thank you!
I have lost a part of my ego again. I am trying to awaken it once again
one of my fav videos of you! :) Can someone tell me the name of the picture in 9:09 Min?
It's called Mammon and His Slave
I watched your UA-cam video about the constrained vs the unconstrained before this one and I think Plato’s idea about “The Ring of Gyges” could be applied to both of these videos. Thanks!
looking forward to that follow up video ego inflation, prometheus and the serpent in eden
Fantastic analysis, my brother.
Just another beautiful video James! Such a great commentary on our current times. I think we all feel that as a society, we are full of excess and ego inflation. We don't need a revolution to fix this problem, we need a reform. In simple terms, we've gone a bit ham over a holiday and we need to get our asses back into the gym. ;-) Cheers James.
Haha beautifully put Nate 😆
I just discovered your marvellous channel. Brilliant work, thank you for what you are doing, I have many hours of great viewing and learning ahead of me. ☀
Your analysis is superb in this video! I am encouraged to find another individual who is willing to take this stance against the cultural mores of a pagan society that treats the ego as if it is literally Christ and needs to be crucified at every turn when it appears, while society also imputes the essence of the ego to its dark brother the id in a soul crushing avalanche of animalistic despotism in a primordial and Dionysian impetus with a self-righteous shallow pharisaical flair. This coupled with the remaining scientism of the 20th century which is trying to re-assert itself in the midst of an uprising of unconscious contents via the means of pop culture and media via the internet leads to a profound scenario where anyone who does seek to individuate is immediately ostracized and projected on with all of the unconscious angst of the rest of society as if they are doomed to repeat the fate of Icarus himself. I think with such in mind it is definitely of interest to study the cultural mores that would attend a healthy society in a Platonic or Aristotelian sense so as to rightly divine the proper path forward for those who wish to attain to the fullness of the self, and how such relegates ones duty towards others who have not demonstrated an interest in that. This is why Nietzsche's overman is of such vital interest - as such an individual would be capable of ascertaining the path forward for any and all individuals who do wish to individuate without sacrificing his own self-interest, and would be capable of navigating the collective unconscious and the paths of wisdom which would enable the principle of individuation to flourish while also avidly ascertaining the most apropos way for society at large to flourish.
There's another dynamic at play in the Icarus myth. Daedalus is the elder generation who crafted the mechanism that allowed Icarus, the younger generation, to fly. Daedalus knew the weaknesses of the wings, because he made them and as such, internalised the dangers of his power of flight well. Icarus, the younger gen., has not worked for his ability and as such, is ignorant of the dangers - he hasn't internalized them.
To deny the Ego is to deny Life.
The Ego is what lets us orient ourself in the world. The trick is to master the Ego of the Self, and not become a slave to the collective Ego of the Herd.
One last observation: Daedalus was a bad dad. If he had built trust wth his son by engaging playfully with Ikaros over many years then Ikaros would have listened and heeded his father's warning. Instead, Daedalus was an absent dad by "escaping" into his work- constructing the labyrinth. I see this parenting style everywhere in modernity. The true message of the story of Ikaros is commenting on the results of neglectful parenting- children who can't self-regulate. NOT flying too high to the sun (aspiration), as, to rise like a phoenix from the ashes and metamorphosis into a higher-type, one must first be horribly burnt by the Herd and through self-overcoming. Therein resides the worthiness in suffering.
The ego is nothing other then the radar on a ship - Alan Watts
I could define Ego (that's the word I can use, which would mean the way we've learned as human beings to navigate and associate concepts on reality, the unconscious persona we created in order to create sence of our world in relation to the experiences we have with the external world) as the exoskeleton of the spirit (or mind, god, dasein, whatever you'd want to call that fundamental essence of being). It's not an enemy, the same way words aren't an enemy. The problem is when the silence is discomfortable, we need meaningless words to fill it. The words, like the Ego, are things that come to existence through our interaction with the world, and can be used to navigate or to anchor indefinitely.
Ultimately, it's the silence that is closer to what is trully real, because words are only symbols to mean abstractions, and can never convey the true unity of our desire to communicate - but without them, we'd have to live in an obscure way and acommodate ourselves within a radical way of being. In the same way, what's trully us isn't the thoughts, actions or even the values, but that thing which is immanent on us - we are the same body since we were born and till we die. Ego, however, helps us move around on the world, while not being as necessary as words, in my opinion. You can feel love without ever uttering a string of sounds which abstractly means "love", and that love which you feel will be purer than any conceptual box you can put it in.
I think that we are like a cat playing with a thread. We are the cat (pure being) playing with a ball of thread (our thoughts and conceptualizations). Ego is the unconscious idea that you're both the cat and the ball of thread.
Thank you!
Remeber this: were in search for the precursor consciousness that without enough information creates rhe framework for nihilism
As a teenager going through life, I found your vids very helpful. I grew up without really having any parental authority due to the demanding work my parents have, which lead me to make myself understand things that are out of my field. One of your vids that really helped me is "the psychology of the wounded healer," which talks about finding the meaning in suffering and you will find the meaning in life. I hope that you never stop making this type of vids since they're very helpful to someone who's still trying to understand themselves and the world.
very deep analysis..well done
Thank you for sharing this informative video, I had learned a lot and needed to hear this. Watching this video also served as a reminder to me that World Ego Awareness Day is coming up this year on May 11th.😊
You have to be somebody before you can be nobody.
the buddhist "anatta" (no self) is most likely the best place to start. is there an "I" at all? or just the brain responding to sensory/mental stimulus .
good work, thank you
I have always thought that the story of Icarus is more related to the attachment of the ego, or convergence, with the superego, which is what causes inflation, but of course it can also be the other way around: too much convergence with the id, which is known to happen more often in our time, can also cause the flight of Icarus.
Interesting point. The imagery fits much more with what you're saying but I guess because it's a youth I've always associated more with Id energy. I guess it is more the ego going beyond its bounds in whatever shape that may take
By far this is the best video uve ever made... at least very helpful to me... one question though... I always understood the ego meant the 'I' so in that sense i thought the budhaa never meant it's wrong to be aware of the ego but its wrong to attach any meaning to it such as desire or any other thing but just to let it be as it is and if it changes or doesn't its all the same n the individual should nt b affected by this... please clarify if this line of sight correct or offer an alternative view if u hav one
It’s important to mention Buddhism doesn’t actually see ego as evil, it’s the western interpretation of Buddhism that causes them to see ego as evil. Ego is just ignorance, or assumption. That’s not exactly the same as evil.
Also what are your thoughts on Elon musk? He seems to represent both good and bad aspects of ego as a large
Agreed and that's why I tried to connect it more with Theosophist New Age thinking at the start though in the middle it did just become Buddhism. As for Musk I'm a big fan. Not a big fan of the existence of billionaires but I don't think that's their fault but a systemic flaw. I just really enjoy Musk I really think he's acting in good faith. Obviously I should add the qualifier that he's said some appalling things that make me cringe but that is very far from making him a bad person in my mind
I love to have a strong and small ego
In order to govern a flock of ever consuming, all obeying human - sheep one needs to accuse Ego for everything that is evil, in the world.
In my opinion, this is what isolation from the ways of the crowd is good for : making a safe space between your psyche and the crowd where you can contemplate on your experiences and develop your self.
Ego is not evil. At least not as much as the manipulation of it is.
Well done post.
One must imagine the I happy
That hair adds to your explanation.
Ego was really popularized under Nietzsche even tho it was used by Stirner before that.
Hablar del Ego hoy en día, sin hablar de Gustavo Bueno y su Ego Trascendental es no hablar de nada
Love it
Thank you for the great video! The problem of ego was bothering me for some time now, especially the whole blurriness between freudian, buddhist and newage ideas.
I disagree a bit with the presentation of the buddhist view though. In my understanding of it, the ego should be abolished not because it is unmoral but simply because it is an illusion and in vain so to speak, like a fight in quicksand. The monks may be able to get rid of it but that requires a lot of practical discipline which may replace the emotional structure that a strong "I" is providing. Most people on the other hand can just try to understand some of the ideas and stop trying so hard. The newage movement makes a moral problem out of it.
So for me it is not that the ego is evil but that it is a social construct that is not to be taken for granted. Therefore it is a bit dangerous to compare these western dualistic concepts and distinctions (like the Superego against the Id) to eastern ideas that tend to think more in terms of 'oneness' and dialectic in the first place. When Freud structured the psyche in three parts, didn't he maybe reinforce the separation and confliction that was already there to be found?
On the other hand the jungian idea that you need a healthy ego first, in order to transform it later on is quite interesting and exiting to me and i somewhat agree.
Still for me it also suffers from cultural blindness. Maybe in a less individualistic society you would not need such a well-fortified ego first? Shouldn't you also try to not lose your true self in the first place instead of betraying it for worldly reasons and than trying to get it back after you accumulated enough money and power to be 'safe'? That seems to be somewhat counterproductive towards collective social transformation as well. In the end, Jung is more of a spiritual/psyc. mystic to me, rather than a philosopher and has quite some connection to the new age scene himself in the end...
Speaking of such, I also had to think of another interesting movement that thinks of the Ego in a positive way and that is Satanism ;D
The idea here is that there is also a "left hand path" of individuation to follow, that goes beyond social morality and that is embracing the personal ego and power.
All in all it is a very interesting topic and you helped me think with this vid-essay, thanks!
It would also be interesting to go deeper into the problem whether there is a true self beyond the Ego (which is also bothering me a lot).
I generally don't have a lot of love for universal truths and such, but to totally abolish the idea of the true self also makes me feel quite uncomfortable haha :P
Cheers!
Lord MacDonald spread cynicism when he said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Are none of us mature enough to manage power?
The ego is a little bit of a liar. Like if I ask the question has anyone ever seen the world outside of the five senses?
I like to draw your attention to Iain McGilchrist. I wonder what what you will make out of his cognitions. As he lives in the Isle of Skye, you have already the northern Atlantic in common.
Great title and topic, had to click as soon as I could when I saw it in my subscriptions. However I must admit it seemed a bit more rancorous than well argued. Not to worry, I think it's probably just that it could have been a mini series of 4 videos rather than a single video. There was also something in the appeal to the authority of Freud and Jung that seemed a bit uncritical and unconnected to current work to improve on their early attempts to birth their discipline. Anyhow, totally agree that ego is useful, especially when compared to the extremes of superego and id. But honestly there are very few humans that live like Spock from Star Trek or Animal from the Muppets, so in a way "the I" is kind of just the norm for those of us who wake up one day and realize we're a primate in the species homo sapiens.
Really appreciate the honest feedback Bruce thanks for making the effort to share it that gives me something to think about which is never a bad thing!
Let go of my ego, lh!
Before renouncing your Ego grow one!)
Excellent video, I’m tired of this nonsense pseudo spirituality of weak irresponsible cowards; there is a grace and beauty when you reject your worldly status for something higher, there is none if there is nothing to reject.
i would say ego is syndrome you develop when you want to be a unknown.
that would adler say. The fucking goat of austrian´s
Ave Ego
Are we each an individual universal time traveler moving through the space we call planet hmm plan what though
A buffet of word salad !
The Virtuous Noble Lie of the Ego and the Trap of the Ocult Agreement of Consent
In the Fragmented Consciousness of Compartmentalized Ego
It Decides not to Heal the Ego but to Eliminate It
And this is Suicide
The Ego is the Pilot of the Soul in this Living Dimension
A Being without an Ego is like an Abandoned House
Opened to All Kind of Invasions of Bandits and Criminals
Annoying that the framework for most self help titles etc are “success, business, money, brand” like stfu - none of that is related. It’s lame as hell seeing the ripples in publication’s of the influence on rich people and commerce students who prob follow some dumb influencer who gave a top 10 books lists..idkk
Ego é ilusão é falsidade se altera as definições é fácil qualquer narrativa .
Save the Ego from modern science of Neuropsychology and mythic identification with "The Fallen One" and focus more on Max Stirner and his excellent Redemption of "The Ego and His Own: The Case of the Individual Against Authority". I began at the wrong end of this evaluation in an Western Society saturated by The (FAKE) Christian Church. Let us wake -up. Ego has a place beyond spiritually. I found distinction in Eastern Philosophy deeply satisfying.
Wonderful video. Humidity is s False virtue. Think about it... humility is something invented so somebody's success wouldn't offend the less successful. There's a difference between self pride (appropriate) and (inappropriate) arrogance which is making others feel inferior. Humility is allowing other people to shape you... to make you seem spiritual by making your self image inferior to what it should be.That's the inverse of arrogance and still harmful. Love your ego and love other people's no two are alike. F+++ humility, if you have a healthy self image, you don't need it, and if your friends think you do, you don't need them ether.
🧠+🫀=💪