Member-only story
Why Ego Destroys the Fabric of Society
Ego and the idea of self-importance have a pathological impact on society
The Novelist John Barth once wrote, “everyone is necessarily the hero of his own life story.” To maintain an image of ourselves as stars of our own show, we must create stories that place us front and centre in our minds. At the heart of this hero-worship lies individualism.
Individualism and the idea of self-importance feed the ego and result in some people believing they are the centre of the universe. The greater the ego, the more detached we become from the society we depend on. It is the pathological effects of self-importance and egoism that erode the fabric of society.
We all believe in our self-importance because, from our perspective, we are important. You are unique, of course, and there is no other person like you. But you are also a product of the society that shaped you — created your views, your way of seeing the world, and your way of behaving towards others in it. In every way, the social construct has shaped you.
Society can’t function without each person conforming to a dominant ideology. The fact everyone does conform creates a functioning society where most people are productive citizens who contribute to society.
