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Ego

Hermit Philosopher

Selflessly here for you
.../is there a link / connection between ego / pride and anger, and how can one tell the difference between prideful, or egotistical anger, and righteous or justified anger?


Dear @nPeace

There is certainly good reason to think of Man’s ego as very intimately related to his pride, anger and many other (if not all) of his weaknesses and downfalls.

Self-awareness, self-knowledge, self-empathy and self-patience are all good and actually helpful in moving towards becoming more humble towards the shortcomings of others, but living by the Will of ego and acting from it in general, is truly not.

Whenever we are occupied by thoughts about what’s in this or that for me...

Whenever we ask how this or that and so or so serves me...

Whenever we are keeping track of what we’re putting in and getting out of something...

Whenever we act from such ideas, we are choosing to live by Will of Ego and making ourselves very susceptible to being offended by the world.

And whenever we react from that offended, wounded sense of self, we ought to know that’s what we are doing.


Then, as you say, there are times when we act and react quite harshly perhaps, but not from ego (though if you feel righteous, your ego is rearing its head somewhat, I’d say).

How do we know what’s what...? Well, when we oppose the oppression of another or stand up for another’s rights; that may well be a non-ego based action, I’d say.

In general - and too simplified, really - just ask yourself: this here thing that I want, is it for me and mine, or is it on behalf of another?


Humbly
Hermit
 

RestlessSoul

Well-Known Member
B5298496-AFB3-42FD-8DFC-40883BCFD674.jpeg
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
Where did you read that?

You missed the point I think
Sorry. I misunderstood this...
My initial reaction was ego, not righteous action.
...apparently.
I thought you were saying that you thought that the anger displayed was ego. So I maybe got confused, or misunderstood.... or both.
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
Dear @nPeace

There is certainly good reason to think of Man’s ego as very intimately related to his pride, anger and many other (if not all) of his weaknesses and downfalls.

Self-awareness, self-knowledge, self-empathy and self-patience are all good and actually helpful in moving towards becoming more humble towards the shortcomings of others, but living by the Will of ego and acting from it in general, is truly not.

Whenever we are occupied by thoughts about what’s in this or that for me...

Whenever we ask how this or that and so or so serves me...

Whenever we are keeping track of what we’re putting in and getting out of something...

Whenever we act from such ideas, we are choosing to live by Will of Ego and making ourselves very susceptible to being offended by the world.

And whenever we react from that offended, wounded sense of self, we ought to know that’s what we are doing.


Then, as you say, there are times when we act and react quite harshly perhaps, but not from ego (though if you feel righteous, your ego is rearing its head somewhat, I’d say).

How do we know what’s what...? Well, when we oppose the oppression of another or stand up for another’s rights; that may well be a non-ego based action, I’d say.

In general - and too simplified, really - just ask yourself: this here thing that I want, is it for me and mine, or is it on behalf of another?


Humbly
Hermit
Thank you.
I think you are saying ask yourself some honest questions... but you know, if you are humble, you might do that, and try to answer honestly too.
On the other hand, one's ego and pride can blind them from doing so.
Do you think it is a good idea to ask someone whom you think will tell you honestly?
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
Sorry. I misunderstood this...
My initial reaction was ego, not righteous action.
...apparently.
I thought you were saying that you thought that the anger displayed was ego. So I maybe got confused, or misunderstood.... or both.
Aha. Now I understand.

I meant "stvdv's initial reaction =" not listening and not doing as told by His Master" was clearly ego, not righteous action". My final reaction was less ego, accepting/respecting His Command

My Master, though shouting, and making 20.000 people believe (except me) He was really mad at me (ca. 6 weeks later people still asked me "oh my God, what did you do wrong, He was so mad at you?"), was clearly not ego, but it was His Drama to teach me a major and valuable lesson in life (I clearly can see now).
 

RestlessSoul

Well-Known Member
Thanks. Any thoughts on these sayings?


Not specifically on those quotes, which I think are fairly self explanatory;

But in my experience both pride and ego, which are synonymous but not entirely the same, serve as barriers between ourselves and God. Like anger, they can “shut us off from the sunlight of the spirit”.

Each may serve a valid function in a healthy mind, but for me they seem to cause only pain. So when I recognise them in myself, I usually ask God to help me replace anger with compassion, pride with humility, and ego with God consciousness.

Interesting thread btw. Will return when I have more time.
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
Aha. Now I understand.

I meant "stvdv's initial reaction =" not listening and not doing as told by His Master" was clearly ego, not righteous action". My final reaction was less ego, accepting/respecting His Command

My Master, though shouting, and making 20.000 people believe (except me) He was really mad at me (ca. 6 weeks later people still asked me "oh my God, what did you do wrong, He was so mad at you?"), was clearly not ego, but it was His Drama to teach me a major and valuable lesson in life (I clearly can see now).
Oh. I get it now. Ego on your part.
Yeah. Tough fight to supress it. God's spirit helps... according to the Bible. Romans 7 ; Galatians 5
 
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MatthewA

Active Member

Just so we can see what pride means in the Greek:

5243. huperéphania = Pride Strong's Greek: 5243. ὑπερηφανία (huperéphania) -- haughtiness, disdain

huperéphania: haughtiness, disdain
Original Word: ὑπερηφανία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: huperéphania

Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-er-ay-fan-ee'-ah)

Definition: haughtiness, disdain

Usage: pride, arrogance, disdain.

Cognate: 5243 hyperēphanía – properly, excessive shining, i.e. self-exaltation (self-absorption) which carries its own self-destructive vanity. 5243 (hyperēphanía) is used only in Mk 7:22. See also 5244 (hyperḗphanos).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon Thayer's Greek: 5243. ὑπερηφανία (huperéphania) -- haughtiness, disdain
STRONGS NT 5243: ὑπερηφανία

ὑπερηφανία, ὑπερηφανίας, ἡ (ὑπερήφανος, which see),

pride, haughtiness, arrogance, the characteristic of one who,
with a swollen estimate of his own powers or merits,
looks down on others and even treats them with insolence and contempt:​

Mark 7:22. (From Xenophon, and Plato down; the Sept. for גַּאֲוָה and גָּאון; often in the O. T. Apocrypha.)

@RestlessSoul , thank you for your post.
 

MatthewA

Active Member
The EGO is simply the inner self identity. Neither good nor evil, it simply IS.

Would agree with you here cOLTER: With-in ourselves is a soul ~

All people are capable of having bad and good with-in them. To make bad choice, or to make good choices. Naturally it seems considering we are souls born into human bodies which (whatever our soul /mind/will/emotion/ desires or decides to do is done) by and through our bodies which we are all born into.

Bad choices include: Drugs/Hating Others/Hating Family, Not Sharing, Rock n Roll, Being Unkind, Being Unfriendly, Unloving, Uncaring, Mean, Can be even more devious things such as ~ Child abuse, and the far beyond darkest limits of the human mind in the bad choice category.

Good choices include: eating healthy/exercise, go to church, go on walks, go hiking, getting education, go camping, being kind to others, loving towards others, caring towards others, and to make good choices instead of bad ones like the ones listed above.

All of these above actions are what is here to do on earth for the most part, there can be more added to the list, assuredly.

All human beings have all of these choices, and everyone seems to me at least capable of understanding that these things are common knowledge for the most part.

There seems to be many different people on different levels of understanding, many people of differing beliefs, and many people with good ideas, bad ideas, all human beings in bodies in which has a soul, even though we are living in this body only for the moment until our death.

Thank you for your comment, Colter.
 
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Hermit Philosopher

Selflessly here for you
Thank you.
I think you are saying ask yourself some honest questions... but you know, if you are humble, you might do that, and try to answer honestly too.
On the other hand, one's ego and pride can blind them from doing so.
Do you think it is a good idea to ask someone whom you think will tell you honestly?


Are you thinking of a specific situation that you find yourself in at present, my friend?
Because it is tricky to generalise here.

If you find yourself in a dilemma at the moment however, I’d guess that the fact that you are asking yourself these questions, suggest that you suspect yourself to possibly be coming from ego...?

And, like you said, that is not necessarily a truly bad thing. But it depends: on how it affects others and to what degree... but also a little on why your ego is playing up, perhaps. Because there may be a different way to handle the situation altogether.

I see no reason why you should not involve the opinion of a trusted other. So long as when you do decide on how to proceed, you do so conscious of owning your choice and its contribution to the outcome.


Humbly
Hermit
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I understand the ego to be the cognitive mechanism that maintains and protects our idea of 'self'. And that without it, that idea of 'self' would dis-integrate, and we would be unable to function.

However, and unfortunately, our egos will seek to maintain and protect a wildly grandiose idea of self just as it will seek to maintain and protect a very reasonable and realistic idea of self. So it's very important that we gain some means of controlling, changing, and over-riding our egos (that mechanism in our brain that seeks to maintain and protect whomever it is that we currently believe we are). Because it will almost certainly be wrong, to some degree, and will also almost certainly need to changed as time and circumstances dictate.

Most eastern religions make a point of their adherents gaining mastery over their egos, and they offer a number of practices to help them achieve that. But, unfortunately, the Judaic religions do not. And as a result, they tend to easily fall prey to egotism both individually and collectively.
 

sayak83

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Our God is superior to theirs!
Our way of life is superior to theirs!

These are things one would feel proud about.
This is a reasonable level of pride - things to feel proud of. Do you disagree... Do you think it exceeds that level of pride that is good?
It's far exceeds the level that is good.
Satisfaction with one's own way of life and beliefs does not mean one would begin comparing that with others and thinking it to be superior. Every person has a different journey and one is wrong to compare one's own with another and thinking ones own to be superior.
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
If you are using it as I did in the OP, that is good, but you would need to explain to me how feeling proud of one's God, and way of life being superior to another, amounts to arrogance.
In other words, don't just tell me it is. Explain to me how it is.
Otherwise one might think you are just being arrogant and proud in your beliefs... or opinion. ;) Understand? :)

My comment said nothing about "feeling proud of one's God." I'm not even sure what you mean by that. First, I'll repeat my comments in bold font and then I'll explain them for you:

IMO, there is no level of pride that is justified. There's nothing wrong with thinking that others are mistaken if they don't follow your religion, but if you feel that you are superior to them in human worth because you're right and they're wrong, your pride has led you astray.

There is no standard for measuring human worth, therefore none of us is either superior or inferior in worth. If your religion has put you on the right path, you're lucky. If you think that your religion makes you a superior human being, you're arrogant.

Similarly, if you feel that your way of life is superior. How is it superior? Feeling morally superior to others is a very common symptom of arrogance.

I'm asking you to explain why you think that your way of life is superior. What makes you proud of it? If it's because it makes you feel morally superior, arrogance as a cause is the best explanation, IMO.
 
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Fallen Prophet

Well-Known Member
The word ego is defined as,,, a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance.

The Bible does not use the word ego, but it uses words which are similar in nature to ego.
One reference says...
PRIDE
Inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable feeling of superiority as to one’s talents, beauty, wealth, rank, and so forth; disdainful behavior or treatment; insolence or arrogance of demeanor; haughty bearing. Pride can, more rarely, have the good connotation of a sense of delight or elation arising from some act or possession. Some synonyms of pride are egotism, arrogance, haughtiness.
The Hebrew verb ga·ʼahʹ literally means “grow tall; get high” and is the root of a number of Hebrew words conveying the idea of pride. These related forms are rendered “haughtiness,” “self-exaltation,” and, in both good and bad senses, “eminence,” and “superiority.” - Job 8:11; Ezekiel 47:5; Isaiah 9:9; Proverbs 8:13; Psalms 68:34; Amos 8:7.
The Greek word kau·khaʹo·mai, meaning “boast, take pride, exult,” likewise is used in both a good and a bad sense, the usage being determined by the context. - 1 Corinthians 1:29; Romans 2:17; 5:2.

Everyone has ego or pride, and it can be at a reasonable level, which isn't bad, or it can rise above that, and even reach extremes.
It's a hard question... I think... but is there a link / connection between ego / pride and anger, and how can one tell the difference between prideful, or egotistical anger, and righteous or justified anger?
I'd guess that if fear was a motivator of the anger.
 
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