Nicola Staff asked 2 years ago
This is very much the case. You are hitting the nail on the head here in assigning a categorization of this psychological phenomenon as the workings of ego and its role as a self-defense strategy, and both defensive and offensive capability that could be used by turns or simultaneously to overwhelm an opponent and render them helpless. Like warfare, overpowering someone with words simply because one has the verbal skills and a strong inner wherewithal to make an irrelevant claim of superiority, under the cloak of achievement in some other setting, is very analogous to a line of warriors standing before an enemy force puffing out their chests, shouting epithets and curses, and mounting a fierce war cry to show how tough they are, and how determined, and how powerful they can be. This is no more than bluster until put to the test by being in an actual battle. So it is tactics only and just as likely to inflame the opposing force to ramp up their doubts, suspicions, and animosity, and trigger an earlier attack than might be done otherwise. It is like taunting someone who is bullying you aggressively by saying, "Bring it on! I'm ready! Show me what you've got!" That is fighting fire with fire and, as we have said a number of times, doing so is always a bad idea because it leaves out reason, logic, and the blessings of wisdom being factors in determining what might happen next, and possibly save the day from a downward spiral being launched because of negative impulses that have an emotional charge.
The ego is there for a reason, it is not an accident of nature or a defect but a preplanned part of the makeup of everyone and, if uncorrupted, will be a player many times during their day-to-day life. The key is how the ego is utilized, whether it is allowed to take charge or is constrained and held in reserve so as not to escalate a difficulty unnecessarily. That is part of the art of living, to have self-control, composure, and, of course, this depends on confidence and freedom from fear. Someone who is knocked off‑balance by a verbal attack might well respond in a knee-jerk fashion, and become threatening and thereby escalate things, and lead to even violence at an extreme. Every person must learn how to rely on their ego and when to keep it in check. This is rarely a situation where the ego is either on or off, in play or inactive, and this is because it is so much a part of your makeup it will weigh in naturally whenever there is a need for greater personal power, security, or assertiveness to initiate something for personal gain or advantage seen as quite important and an urgent necessity.
Indeed, this is why we are having this discussion, because while everyone knows about the ego, they are not taught about the backstory, nor are they coached in how to cope with the darker potential inherent with being human because this involves moral precepts, ethical principles, and the underlying reality of spiritual origin of your being, and most of those subjects are currently viewed as "off-limits" within the educational system beyond very rudimentary implementation of a system of rewards and punishment to keep youngsters in line and disciplined so they can be managed. That is not contributing to growth, only learning of a sort, teaching them to behave and submit.
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