Ego and The World — The Reel Way
It’s ego! Why not let it go?
There are a few things which people rarely talk about. Human ego is one among them. It is something we encounter in our daily lives. Yet, it remains difficult to explain- one of the reasons why this topic does not come up in discussions. I will try my best to cover this undisclosed topic through this article and will try to keep it as short and interesting as possible:)
What is Ego?
Ego is one of the most complex and difficult-to-understand emotions of human beings. It is a person’s sense of esteem and importance to self. This emotion might be important for a person to live in this busy and competitive world, but is good only up to a limit. It can trigger at various times and due to different reasons. From watching a co-worker get appreciation from the manager, to watching a classmate get better marks than you- ego can start from anywhere, any time. In simpler words it is the “I” complex!
Still do not get it?
Let me try to convey it through another medium which almost everyone in this world likes — MOVIES!
Since we are talking about ego, let me talk about one of the most egoistical characters I have seen on reel-life.
Shammi, brilliantly portrayed by actor Fahadh Faasil in the 2019 Malayalam film, Kumbalangi Nights, has various shades in the movie. The ego or the “I” complex of the character is revealed much later in the movie. In one of the scenes, Shammi beats up the heroes of the movie and says –
“Shammi hero aada!”
It shows how the character gets a sense of happiness and superiority out of beating out others. There might be some people who will argue that the character had mental issues (SPOILER ALERT!), but it doesn’t mask the ego of Shammi.
Shammi can be a movie character, but there are several people similar to him, you might encounter in real life.
It can be a nosy neighbour, irritating passenger on a bus or train or even a classmate.
The Three Step Cycle — Ego, Hatred and Jealousy
You can differ with me on this subject — but this is just an observation.
This is one of the concepts which I have understood from my 21 years of experience, living in this world. Watching people has helped me understand that ego is not a lone emotion. There is a cycle of three emotions- Ego, Hatred and Jealousy — in no particular order. When one of the emotions is triggered, the other two get triggered as well!
It’s time for me to give you another reel-life example.
If you are a fan of Christopher Nolan, there is a good chance that you have watched the 2006 movie The Prestige, starring Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman. I do not want to ruin your movie experience, so I will keep this as short as possible and without any spoilers, of course.
In this movie, both Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman play magicians, Alfred Borden and Robert Angier respectively. The movie follows the lives of these two magicians and how they battle it out against each other for magic secrets. This is the story in short. The point which I want to convey is that both Alfred and Robert are egoistic characters. Each wants to get above the other, something which we are quite used to seeing in today’s world (not as openly, of course). This battle leaves one of the characters dead, which I leave for you to find by watching this epic movie.
Ego must exist within people for the world to survive. As long as there is healthy competition among people, the world will be peaceful. Ego is good only up to an extent. People must remember that the world is for everyone. Co-existence must always be a part of the plan. Be it in schools, colleges or offices, I believe that there must be competition. But the competition must only be in the best interest of everyone.
‘EGO’ is the only requirement to destroy any relationship…so be the bigger person…skip the ‘E’ and let it ‘GO’.
Let us be more humane! Let the world flourish with more good people! Because in the end humanity will prevail!
#CreateDon’tHate
More Equality, More Hope.
More Humanity, More Pride.
More Acceptance, More Love.
Interesting, huh? Read our ‘Thought Trains’ section for more such intriguing and wondrous articles!
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