tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274757246538504796.post2002632052284416953..comments2024-03-28T02:08:57.016-07:00Comments on Old Geezers Out to Lunch: The Imaginary EgoThe Geezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12132213545989946724noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274757246538504796.post-23080198208378861402013-02-12T04:51:37.729-08:002013-02-12T04:51:37.729-08:00Plenty of food for thought, Tom. Another theme I&#...Plenty of food for thought, Tom. Another theme I've been pondering is the role of self-restraint as a human faculty. In many ways, it seems to be the essence of what makes us human rather than a "lower" species—this ability to choose to countermand the urges of instinct. One might argue that we have less of this than we think; still, the ability to restrain impulse seems pretty integral to any concept of free will. <br /><br />Another theme that draws me is William James' observation that the only true act of free will is that of sensory attention—the ability to focus in among all the huge volume of sensory and neurological input and choose a limited range on which to focus our attention. <br /><br />For other articles, obvously. The Geezershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12132213545989946724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274757246538504796.post-14156610473681727872013-02-11T14:27:05.296-08:002013-02-11T14:27:05.296-08:00I like pie!I like pie!Pat Tilletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17699973774273291205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274757246538504796.post-51131522688937695552013-02-11T14:01:26.181-08:002013-02-11T14:01:26.181-08:00A fascinating post-a great launch to reflective th...A fascinating post-a great launch to reflective thought. <br />-We are born of course with DNA predispositions, but we are molded, shaped and filled by external influences until we achieve a full on engagement, someplace in our mind, that permits us to understand that. I think Maslow called it self actualization, but it is a point that we know, or admit to our self, that we are the product of much that is beyond our control, however we can begin to exercise edit skills. We can shed, or try to, certain ways, while seeking growth or addition of other ways of living, thinking and being.<br />-Our "self" then is a kind of semi permeable membrane of bio mass, time, experience and aspiration.<br />-Self Control, as impossible as it may well be, is at least an objective of those who ponder.<br />-Perhaps George Harrison had it right when he wrote "once you have seen beyond yourself, then you may find peace of mind is waiting there...life goes on within and without you..."Tom Cochrunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046822056852446079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274757246538504796.post-70013122641498734752013-02-11T06:10:42.908-08:002013-02-11T06:10:42.908-08:00Interesting observation, Geo. Yes, there are certa...Interesting observation, Geo. Yes, there are certainly dangers here, as you point out. Abolition of ego is a stage in any brainwashing endeavor, be it military boot camp, Catholic monastery, or a Scientology seminar. But there are dangers to a very rigidly defended ego, too. Perhaps it depends on where the impetus comes from: if someone else is trying to get you to abandon your sense of self, ulterior motives seem likely. But personal exploration, maybe not so dangerous.The Geezershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12132213545989946724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274757246538504796.post-2939340147217120302013-02-10T19:44:22.010-08:002013-02-10T19:44:22.010-08:00I've worked hard on this who for 63 years, and...I've worked hard on this who for 63 years, and hold suspect anything that tries to topple it. One of the first signs of a toxic, manipulative sect thrashing around in its cultic phase is an insistence upon certain provisos: abolition of the ego; salvation of the whatever's left; extension of credit. Of course the whole sensate universe is illusion; it's what we deduce from it that shapes us, makes us useful to it or not. Thought-provoking post. You're on my blogroll. Geo.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16221314320558128986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274757246538504796.post-55430875757583579502013-02-10T10:12:39.306-08:002013-02-10T10:12:39.306-08:00"by playing an interesting role every day, we..."by playing an interesting role every day, we imbue our little moment with synthetic significance."<br /><br />Amen.Jerrihttp://www.reflectionsonthepond.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274757246538504796.post-9652024120747064862013-02-09T18:13:05.119-08:002013-02-09T18:13:05.119-08:00Professor, that's an interesting interpretatio...Professor, that's an interesting interpretation, to suggest that excessive group identifications is an echo of the ego-artifice I was speaking about here. And I fully agree that all of this is a defense against the nothingness of things that we quietly dread. <br /><br />I think you are right here. In fact, I wonder sometimes if a lot of the rather painful and self-defeating habits humans sometimes exhibit is exactly that—an attempt to convince ourselves that we exist, since we secretly do understand how fickle and untrustworthy this thing called self is. <br /><br />Another very interesting thread here is your offhanded mention that the capacity for artificial creation is what elevates us from animals. I hadn't thought of that, but it is worth considering. <br /><br />Mercuriousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7274757246538504796.post-78534323035123783962013-02-09T17:57:57.382-08:002013-02-09T17:57:57.382-08:00—The Professor responds—
I have to say, Mercuriou...—The Professor responds—<br /><br />I have to say, Mercurious, my disposition tends to go in the opposite direction (within reason, of course.) We do “construct” ourselves, but that artificial construction is what seperates us from other (dare I say “lesser”?) animals. Fascinating evocation of the world breathing you. This does seem to have some parallels with Buddhist thought, and if a person cold “switch of” their ego from time to time, we’d all be more healthy (I think that’s what meditation is trying to get at, maybe? Just a thought: is that non-thinking, instinctive “flowing” existence what some are after with drugs, etc? If they achieve such ego submergence through these means, what are the ramifications?<br /><br />An interesting study some years back asked 100 subjects to describe themselves and 99 others with adjectives/phrases. To describe themselves, 82 percent used the phrase “depends on the situation.” They only used that phrase to describe 17 percent of the others—when dealing with others they chose a static adjective 83 percent of the time (I’m approximating these percentages from memory, but it is an interesting study that stuck me.)<br /><br />One of the reasons we engage with social groups/societies is to buttress our sense of identity (in this sense collective) Might there be some mileage in comparing the excesses of self with excesses of group identification (religious. patriotic) From the other end, some of the reasons why we so often seek out social affirmation and collective identity may give some clues as to why we find it so challenging to live without an overtly presented (and protected) ego. Personally, I think a lot of our ego is projected—much like Ozymandias’ buildings—as a defense against the ultimate nothingness of things (I think there are many essential existentialist who simply ignore the fact because there’s little point in paying attention to it…similarly, we all may know we are specks of dust, but by playing an interesting role every day, we imbue our little moment with synthetic significance.<br />The Professornoreply@blogger.com