[this post is really a response to
(e:jenks,275) ]
What about community?
I think that the word ego has an inaccurately negative connotation. Far too often the extreme version of this trait is implied whenever it is mentioned. That's not to say that ego has never gotten out of hand. As with all things, ego should be applied in moderation. Being human kind of fudges this rule from time to time which is where the urban legend of assholes comes from, but that's another story.
Without waxing philosophical too much here allow me to explain (note: the following text is rife with pontification on topics which the writer has little to no formal training in, and should be taken with at least 1 grain of salt).
We might be able to agree that ego is roughly the realization of self. If we want to connect that to another hair brained idea we could say, "how you identify, define, and comprehend your self is a direct indication of what communities you are and are not part of (basic folklore theory)." Lastly, community is a basic part of the human condition. It is at least a part of being a life form that can communicate. (Side note/broken fact: Scientists have found that Elephants, which do communicate very much, have the ability to comprehend self. They put some dumbos near mirrors and the floppy ears did things that made the scientists believe that they {the elephant standing near the mirror} recognized the elephants in the mirrors them selves).
So could we even be a community if all of our members had no sense of self, or ego? I think not.
Alex, you are not an asshole, you're probably the most self scrutinizing individuals I've ever meet, and if you have an imbalance of ego, it's likely a negative balance. Your demeanor is actually quite delightful to behold actually. You're very pleasant, not, I repeat, an asshole, and yes you have an ego. But you need one, we all do. It's natural. It's necessary, not weird, or awful. People do this kind of thing all the time, we just do it online (sound all cyber sexy don't it?).
We'd be doing this if we were all standing around in a school yard, or near an office cooler, but we aren't and can't gather that way. If there was a way for us conduct two-way communication during the drafting of a journal entry I'm sure we would do it, but there isn't and that's what the chat is for (thank you
(e:paul)). The only way we can gather and share the information that makes us who we are (
(e:stippers)) is online. We aren't the only community that is gathering in new seemingly self indulgent ways. Look at the nerds that go to Star Trek (ok and Star Wars) conventions. This kind of think was unheard of in the days before mass transit was readily available to the middle class. A lot of those folks don't even bathe, how's that for self-indulgent. What about knitting circles (an oldy but goody)? You can't say that there's only pure moral pulp floating around at functions loving dubbed, "the Stitch and Bitch" by its members. We're not even the only kind of group that gathers online either, just ask
(e:vycious) about the xbox live folks, a corporation generated community (and that's not to knock corporation generated anything, just point out a unique quality). I don't think you can get any more self indulgent than spending upwards of 3000$ for devices that are designed to entertain one person at a time (what do you mean my computer cost that much too? shut up!).
So the egotistical act of talking about your self in your journal is really not so egotistical at all. In fact if you want to measure ego I think that examining
if one posts about one self isn't the most direct route. You should really examine
how.
Note: I am the sweetest dude ever, and if you don't think so you should be kicked off of estrip, ex post haste.
Love,
enknot
What kind of games are you playin?
That line is insane looking, great picture by the way. I look forward to you next post about your party and your party, that is one of many things I will be attending.