"Fear, greed, and the desire for power are the psychological motivating forces not only behind warfare and violence between nations, tribes, religions, and ideologies, but also the cause of incessant conflict in personal relationships." --this is an excerpt from a book I'm reading "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. It was one of Oprah's Book Club recommended reads.
I've been going crazy lately with trying to understand why we all seem to be displaying so much hatred. Everywhere you turn, people are posting their hate and anger at Congress, or the President or gays....or whatever their choice of frustration might be at the time. While being angry over issues is not the problem, this book has opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about this whole hatred thing. I have come to realize how dysfunctional we are as a society (and I include myself in this) and that we are so busy feeding our egos, we don't realize how hateful we've become.
Here is another except from the book that explains that better than I can.
"BEING RIGHT, MAKING WRONG
Complaining as well as faultfinding and reactivity strengthen the ego's sense of boundary and separateness on which no survival depends. But they also strengthen the ego in another way by giving it a feeling of superiority on which it thrives. It may not be immediately apparent how complaining, say, about a traffic jam, about politicians, about the 'greedy wealthy' or the 'lazy unemployed,' or your colleagues or ex-spouses, men or women, can give you a sense of superiority. Here is why. When you complain by implication you are right and the person or situation you complain about or react against is wrong.
There is nothing that strengthens the ego more than being right. Being right is identification with a mental position--a perspective, an opinion, a judgement, a story. For you to be right, of course, you need someone else to be wrong., and so the ego loves to make wrong in order to be right. ........Being right places you in a position of imagined moral superiority in relation to the person or situation that is being judged and found wanting. It is that sense of superiority the ego craves and through which it enhances itself."
This coming year, I am going to do my very best not to feed the monster (ego). I haven't finished the book but I have already learned so much about myself and my own egotistical tendencies that I'm excited about starting a new year off in a new direction and a new awaking to my own life's purpose.
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October 16, 2017--Reflecting back on this post, I have come to realize how much we feed our egoes through FB. While I love the social aspect of sharing ideas and points interest, it does alarm me that we have allowed it consume us while we feed the monster. I am guilty of feeding the monster. I hope to do better.
I've been going crazy lately with trying to understand why we all seem to be displaying so much hatred. Everywhere you turn, people are posting their hate and anger at Congress, or the President or gays....or whatever their choice of frustration might be at the time. While being angry over issues is not the problem, this book has opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about this whole hatred thing. I have come to realize how dysfunctional we are as a society (and I include myself in this) and that we are so busy feeding our egos, we don't realize how hateful we've become.
Here is another except from the book that explains that better than I can.
"BEING RIGHT, MAKING WRONG
Complaining as well as faultfinding and reactivity strengthen the ego's sense of boundary and separateness on which no survival depends. But they also strengthen the ego in another way by giving it a feeling of superiority on which it thrives. It may not be immediately apparent how complaining, say, about a traffic jam, about politicians, about the 'greedy wealthy' or the 'lazy unemployed,' or your colleagues or ex-spouses, men or women, can give you a sense of superiority. Here is why. When you complain by implication you are right and the person or situation you complain about or react against is wrong.
There is nothing that strengthens the ego more than being right. Being right is identification with a mental position--a perspective, an opinion, a judgement, a story. For you to be right, of course, you need someone else to be wrong., and so the ego loves to make wrong in order to be right. ........Being right places you in a position of imagined moral superiority in relation to the person or situation that is being judged and found wanting. It is that sense of superiority the ego craves and through which it enhances itself."
This coming year, I am going to do my very best not to feed the monster (ego). I haven't finished the book but I have already learned so much about myself and my own egotistical tendencies that I'm excited about starting a new year off in a new direction and a new awaking to my own life's purpose.
--------------------
October 16, 2017--Reflecting back on this post, I have come to realize how much we feed our egoes through FB. While I love the social aspect of sharing ideas and points interest, it does alarm me that we have allowed it consume us while we feed the monster. I am guilty of feeding the monster. I hope to do better.
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