Everyday Canvas

Ego and Truth

Prompt: “Ego never accepts the truth.” Buddha
How useful are our egos if they can’t accept the truth? What do you think?

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I would say, it depends on what kind of an ego that is.

But before we attack the ego, let’s see what its definitions are: dictionary meaning, “a person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance; in psychoanalysis, “the part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity.” ; in philosophy, “a conscious thinking subject.”

According to Freud's model of the psyche, which consists of the id, ego, and superego, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.

These definitions point to the fact that one can support a healthy ego and accept the truth, as well. At the same time, it can be developed in such a way that it becomes the breeding ground for hate, fear, and delusion.

When the ego cannot accept what is true, it is useless and it belongs to arrogant, condescending, and self-absorbed people. Such people can be self-centered and self-absorbed to the detriment of others. Sometimes, a group of such people can be group-centered, which means they’d trample on the truth for the sake of the group or the goals and belief systems of the group. Such groups cause disruption and chaos.

Yet, there is such a thing as being a genuine human being and seeing and accepting oneself as such. This kind of a person understands the world through fair eyes and fair assessment of situations. In such a case, if the ego helps a person to understand the world he is in, it is a good thing, and I think this kind of an ego is an asset as it shows a healthy self-respect and emotional and cognitive maturation.

Without an ego, no person would work on their own inner development.

A healthy ego is essential in good leaders so they can act with courage for everyone’s welfare. After all, in our makeup, we are all granted with a sense of self. Why not use it to the best advantage of the entire human race!