As the discussion was progressing in a different direction, some others brought it back to the original topic of Ego and Prejudice
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Some queries
With due respects to all contributors on this topic, which I could have hardly imagined or even claim to have properly understood, at the same time wanting to enter into this चर्कव्यू for a better self realization, with limitations, as mostly every thing needed is already covered, still I my path to understand this great "life process" is by its dynamics rather than its psychosomatics, so allow me to first raise a few questions, answers to which may not contribute to a treatise on the subject, which, I believe, is not in the realm of common mortals, but definitely towards a goal for better life management.
1. Does a child or a person on death bed have egos.
2, When a person attains the highest ego.
3. Are all egos bad or there are some good egos as well.
4. Can life exist devoid of any ego?
5. Do ego and prejudice coexist or are independent of each other?
My guess is there would not only be different answers but relevance issues as well. Still, persisting with my thought process, I would attempt my replies:
To 1. If the cry of a baby is ego, which I believe is not, then yes otherwise no. At the end time every one is humble, & no ego.
To 2. At full peak of puberty.
To 3,4. Some ego is essential as part of our survival instinct. I imagine that it increases in Kalyuga n minimal in a heavenly ambience. Life ambitions and achievements can not be realized without ego, only the failed ambitions give rise to bad egos.
5. Prejudice is like a degenerated ego and inhibits the good ego. One has to work very subconsciously to avoid this.
As for the states of Dweita/Adweita, it's like the debate on state of light, whether wave form or in quantum form, and Sh Menhgai has summed it up very precisely.
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Replies from Ghare (myself)
I have written in my earlier comment that Ego is a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance. It means his consciousness of his own identity. (From Wikipedia). I have also written about ego in an old article on age and space. So my answers are as follows.
1. No. Ego starts building up only when the child starts knowing about himself and his importance.
2. Heighest ego is when the person gets maximum praise from others or commands maximum power, perhaps when he is at the peak of his career or heighest position in his family.
3 Ego can be good. This is the main thrust of this article and is explained in detail.
4. Meaningful life may not be possible without Ego.
5. Yes. They do co exist throught our life. Prejudice meaning 'preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience' is some total of our perceptions about people or matters, based on what is taught or told to us, some misunderstanding etc. Ego does not permit us to accept our bias or lack of knowledge and creates or carries forward prejudices.
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Ego or Pride
I was going through the various mails on " EGO AND PREJUDICE".
I have a basic comment to make. Are we getting confused understanding the real meaning of EGO and using it for PRIDE. As you have rightly written EGO means consciousness of one's own identity. This is amply explained in the GITA and various other dictionaries and Wikipedia.
Over time people started using EGO for PRIDE. PRIDE has a pejorative leaning. I am not trying to point at the mistaken use of the word EGO but only trying to express what I think EGO means. Hope this is not misunderstood.
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Comment from Ghare (me)
You are absolutely correct, sir. The word Ego is used more often when it is hurt when some one is ignored or is not given due respect or importance. When a person behaves rather rudely and does not listen to anybody else, we call him 'egoistic'. These are indications of his pride rather than consciousness. This is because words acquire different shades of meaning though their usage.
------------------------------------------
Some queries
With due respects to all contributors on this topic, which I could have hardly imagined or even claim to have properly understood, at the same time wanting to enter into this चर्कव्यू for a better self realization, with limitations, as mostly every thing needed is already covered, still I my path to understand this great "life process" is by its dynamics rather than its psychosomatics, so allow me to first raise a few questions, answers to which may not contribute to a treatise on the subject, which, I believe, is not in the realm of common mortals, but definitely towards a goal for better life management.
1. Does a child or a person on death bed have egos.
2, When a person attains the highest ego.
3. Are all egos bad or there are some good egos as well.
4. Can life exist devoid of any ego?
5. Do ego and prejudice coexist or are independent of each other?
My guess is there would not only be different answers but relevance issues as well. Still, persisting with my thought process, I would attempt my replies:
To 1. If the cry of a baby is ego, which I believe is not, then yes otherwise no. At the end time every one is humble, & no ego.
To 2. At full peak of puberty.
To 3,4. Some ego is essential as part of our survival instinct. I imagine that it increases in Kalyuga n minimal in a heavenly ambience. Life ambitions and achievements can not be realized without ego, only the failed ambitions give rise to bad egos.
5. Prejudice is like a degenerated ego and inhibits the good ego. One has to work very subconsciously to avoid this.
As for the states of Dweita/Adweita, it's like the debate on state of light, whether wave form or in quantum form, and Sh Menhgai has summed it up very precisely.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Replies from Ghare (myself)
I have written in my earlier comment that Ego is a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance. It means his consciousness of his own identity. (From Wikipedia). I have also written about ego in an old article on age and space. So my answers are as follows.
1. No. Ego starts building up only when the child starts knowing about himself and his importance.
2. Heighest ego is when the person gets maximum praise from others or commands maximum power, perhaps when he is at the peak of his career or heighest position in his family.
3 Ego can be good. This is the main thrust of this article and is explained in detail.
4. Meaningful life may not be possible without Ego.
5. Yes. They do co exist throught our life. Prejudice meaning 'preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience' is some total of our perceptions about people or matters, based on what is taught or told to us, some misunderstanding etc. Ego does not permit us to accept our bias or lack of knowledge and creates or carries forward prejudices.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Ego or Pride
I was going through the various mails on " EGO AND PREJUDICE".
I have a basic comment to make. Are we getting confused understanding the real meaning of EGO and using it for PRIDE. As you have rightly written EGO means consciousness of one's own identity. This is amply explained in the GITA and various other dictionaries and Wikipedia.
Over time people started using EGO for PRIDE. PRIDE has a pejorative leaning. I am not trying to point at the mistaken use of the word EGO but only trying to express what I think EGO means. Hope this is not misunderstood.
--------------------------
Comment from Ghare (me)
You are absolutely correct, sir. The word Ego is used more often when it is hurt when some one is ignored or is not given due respect or importance. When a person behaves rather rudely and does not listen to anybody else, we call him 'egoistic'. These are indications of his pride rather than consciousness. This is because words acquire different shades of meaning though their usage.
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