"And the world will be judged by you . . . Know you not that we shall judge the angels?"
I am preoccupied by the ego today. I know that it is a commonplace for religions, primarily eastern, to argue that the ego gets in the way of enlightenment, that the ego is illusion. But I like my ego -- it's my best friend. Think what a dull and dreary place the world would be without the ego. And frankly, isn't it an assumption to believe that there is such an objective "thing" as enlightenment? What if there is no such "thing" as enlightenment?
While I agree with those who argue that the ego leads to many of the evils of the world, think about the wealth it gives us as well. Unique works of art, great literature, amazing architecture, Beethoven, Mozart. I am not in any way trying to be positive. But I do think that many of the "wonders" of the world would not exist if it weren't for outrageous egos and their extreme expressions. That is what life is all about.
For those of you who wish to find "equilibrium," I wish you the best of luck. As for me, I want to judge the angels. And if I can't, then "Paradise Lost" is my salvation.
I am preoccupied by the ego today. I know that it is a commonplace for religions, primarily eastern, to argue that the ego gets in the way of enlightenment, that the ego is illusion. But I like my ego -- it's my best friend. Think what a dull and dreary place the world would be without the ego. And frankly, isn't it an assumption to believe that there is such an objective "thing" as enlightenment? What if there is no such "thing" as enlightenment?
While I agree with those who argue that the ego leads to many of the evils of the world, think about the wealth it gives us as well. Unique works of art, great literature, amazing architecture, Beethoven, Mozart. I am not in any way trying to be positive. But I do think that many of the "wonders" of the world would not exist if it weren't for outrageous egos and their extreme expressions. That is what life is all about.
For those of you who wish to find "equilibrium," I wish you the best of luck. As for me, I want to judge the angels. And if I can't, then "Paradise Lost" is my salvation.
VIEW 10 of 10 COMMENTS
the only reason the ego isn't ok in eastern religion is that it becomes a form of attachment to this world and to a life you're not going to keep, which will only lead to more suffering, instead of anatta (the concept of non-self). oddly enough, the christians have a similar concept, except that they tend to explain it poorly (it has a lot of history behind it in order to make sense) which would be the saintly process of kenosis (the purging of self in order to let god in). it's based in the idea of: "in the absence of man, god is found. in the absence of god, man is found". i love porete's version of it, even though she was considered heretical. there's a great foundation for anarchism/political reform and the reform (relig) in her work. i would also say she's heavily based in the tradition of the hedones, which lends a certain egoism to her style of thought. anyway, you may want to prod her.
and i'll assume you must know stirner by heart. even if he is demented. and of course the ego is vital to art. four words: james constantine aloysius joyce.