‘One-upmanship’ means to try to stand above the crowd, put yourself in the leadership position, and praise yourself – rather than community service, rather than working for the betterment of humanity. Ego speaks when a person says, “I can run faster than you.” So what? “I can do math problems faster than you.” That’s ego. But, sharing your ideas is cooperation. This is what will enable the future to evolve: the sharing of ideas, not privatization.
Does ego come from a low self-image, too?
Yes; or no self-image. Many scientists today understand that they are able to do what they do because they stand on the shoulders of giants. Other people helped them; that’s what they mean. Your ego speaks when you think that you are doing it all yourself – without the help of books or other people who made contributions to your life. Any sane person would tell you that they were influenced by many different writers.
To hear this audio, go to http://askjacquefresco.com
Search for “definition of ego”.
