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I have to revisit what I have forgotten about those 3!! Thanks!
I probably should have explained that what I wrote is just some random thoughts. I'm not educated or anything and am inclined to let my mind go off in all sorts of weird ways.
Expectation is not exactly the culprit.... it is actually unfulfilled expectations.
Buddhists give desire a bad rap, also, for the same reason...desire is what makes the world go round...it is unfulfilled desire that causes suffering.
Thank you! Learned something from you.
Perhaps desire do fulfill the world with more, but it doesn’t necessary mean a good thing, but also not a bad thing.
If you look at the world today, it does more harm than good. The innovation of smartphone was suppose to help the society, which it certainly did, but look at the down side of it, everyone is literally looking down at their smartphone screen no matter where they go. Is it really that much better? Is debatable, but I personally think before we can move on to the next stage, we have to have a strong base of ethic and morale. But hey, I’m just the little guy here, and I can be absolutely wrong about all of my opinions.
The terms could be discussed...I relate to ego as the thing that could feel affronted by someone, indignant;
that could turn into resentment...then, anger into hatred, even...oh, and then, let's not forget revenge.
("I'll show him." And feeling all proud and self-righteous about it~!)
Those are what I'm talking about as the result of the lower ego self.
Now, is that 'me', the real me? No. That would be a 'false' me.
What is the 'real me' ...the kind one, the calm one...the one that wasn't bothered and didn't take what was said personally, blowing it out of proportion (Think road rage.)
Now, someone might say we are both of those..."My anger is me...just as forgiveness is me".
Well, that anger is not 'me'....the 'me' that is the 'true self', the true me....is the Higher Self...the
loving, wise, clear and confident self...innocent and playful.
That's my opinion...so I see why 'ego=false self' was said by the Buddhists.
Ah....yes....the Buddhists couldn't have said ego=false self until Freud...as someone just told me!
Yes they referred to it as the changing self vs the unchanging self. Excellent! (Very astute of you.)
So, I would continue in that vein...my anger, pride resentments are not from
my 'Unchanging self'....
(Which I deem innocent, pure, kind, playful, forgiving.....as we ALL are)
Angers and pride belong to my "Changing self"....and my Changing self is NOT my True Self...
they are part of how the external has influenced my personality here...this time around.
My unpleasant parts of my personality are not really 'me'.
There are many things wrong with the hypothesis that the "ego" produces all unhappiness.
For one thing, happiness has many definitions, as well as nuances related to how you personally interpret the word. Using one common understanding the word, happiness is a fleeting feeling that your brain chemistry will quickly try to bring back to the comfortable and stable "middle ground" of neither happiness nor unhappiness.
Here are some examples that create unhappiness, having nothing to do with "ego":
--Being separated from your significant other due to circumstances beyond your control, for long periods of time.
--Having family or job obligations that require you to live in a place you hate -- ugly & depressing scenery, little to no opportunity for socialization/making friends or pursuing recreational activities, rarely see sunshine due to high cloud-cover and having more than 1 hour of potential sunlight lost due to the northern latitude, etc.
--Having a loved one--or beloved pet--suffer or die.
--Having your spouse cheat on you, or use loving & forgiving nature as justification to continue to treat you without respect, produces severe unhappiness.
Here are some examples that create unhappiness, having nothing to do with "ego":
1--Being separated from your significant other due to circumstances beyond your control, for long periods of time.
2--Having family or job obligations that require you to live in a place you hate -- ugly & depressing scenery, little to no opportunity for socialization/making friends or pursuing recreational activities, rarely see sunshine due to high cloud-cover and having more than 1 hour of potential sunlight lost due to the northern latitude, etc.
3--Having a loved one--or beloved pet--suffer or die.
4--Having your spouse cheat on you, or use loving & forgiving nature as justification to continue to treat you without respect, produces severe unhappiness.
Oh...these examples were fascinating to me...and should be helpful to all of us as a discussion. So thank you.
But first...lemme ask you...What is it do you think causes these unhappinesses....where would that come from, cuz you're saying 'not the ego'. Remembering the ego doesn't do just one thing and is not all bad...wanted to say that again.
Oh, also :"The ego is the component of personality that is responsible for
dealing with reality." (Found this online.)
Note: What I see as a common denominator in some way is loss and love taken away or
like in #2-beauty, friends, sunshine taken away. I numbered them to help me.
Your post inspired me to play around online I found this site, I haven't fully checked it out yet. Looks good.
Last edited by Miss Hepburn; 03-18-2019 at 04:54 PM..
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Thanks!
it is actually unfulfilled expectations.
...it is unfulfilled desire that causes suffering.
