Ego and Nature

The simplest way to define ego is but with one sentence. Our ego is the sense of our own values and importance.  In religious terms it can also mean as the false sense of self as separate from others and God. In other words ego in my opinion is also how much confidence one holds and the way they hold themselves around others. Ever since I was made aware of Freudian thoughts in school, I fell in love in Freud’s findings and theories of psychoanalysis such as the ego diagram he created of people.

People are all self-centered and think of themselves too highly at some point in their lives. It can be when they finally acquired that college degree, become some acclaimed lawyer, doctor, or reached an executive position in some major company.  However, I feel this doesn’t always happen during adulthood but also as children such as if a child is born into a fairly well off family or the heir to millions or a company their parents are CEOs of. The comfortable environment and circumstances they live in just fills them to the overfilling point of high self-confidence, huge egos, and see no one but themselves. When people attain a certain amount of fortune, power, authority, adequate lifestyle, they eventually allow their egos to take over their good judgment and forget how they once were or those who are not as fortunate. 

Fortune gives birth to greed. Power gives birth to ambition. Authority gives birth to confidence. Intelligence gives birth to concede. All this factors brew one’s ego sometimes without their awareness and sometimes they are aware and yet still choose to continue on that path because their ego encourages that they are doing the right thing and it makes them feel good!

Having a huge ego is not a bad thing. However, I feel that if you’re ego becomes so huge that you can ignore the cries for help from others, see the kindness of others as a plot to gain something, to think of yourselves higher than those who are less accomplished, to see no one but your own wants and desires, to believe that your opinions are right and others are wrong, to refuse to listen and accept the advice of others, then I ask how are you still considered a human? If your ego is so huge, that when you see a helpless animal or homeless people on the street yet do nothing. When you see an elderly person having trouble and refuse to help. Then what kind of person are you?

My aunt once told me to never think too highly of myself regardless of how smart I am or how acclaimed I may become. Because you may be high and mighty, but never forget there is another mountain that is higher than yours. You cannot turn a blind eye or underestimate those who are lesser than you in accomplishments or where they are in life. There are things to learn from them. Do not think because you are professional worker in a big firm or company that you are the best. Sometimes there is someone who is better than you in terms of personality trait, morality, dignity, and intelligence yet just were less fortunate and didn’t have the necessary finance to go to college. Keep an open heart and mind. Many things are able to be self-taught and don’t require a degree, any subject can be self-taught other than science and law fields. I don’t believe there is any subject in the world that can’t be self-taught; however, that is a topic for another day.

Many people believe they are not apart of nature and are greater than animals. I feel that is wrong because we evolved from monkeys through millions of years. How can we say that we are separate from nature? How can we claim we are any different from a dog of cat? We desire a good home, we desire to keep our stomachs full, we desire to be happy, we desire to be praised and loved, we desire to have children and we fight with others. How different is that from animals?

I have like literally no ego. I never think of myself greater, better, or higher than anyone. Even if given with authority and leadership, I’ve never spoken to anyone in a tone or manner that makes them seem any less or lower than I. Everyone is equal to me regardless of high or low positions. I love animals and feel most comfortable with nature. Nature is enormous and limitless compared to one person standing in the opened face of nature before them.

Please leave comments or discussion topics!