以前对ego这个词主要理解为 pride and arrogant，自我意识过强，傲慢，自以为是， 与这一段的说法基本相同：“The word “ego” generally refers to an exaggerated sense of self-importance which usually results is an excessive preoccupation with “self.” 最近又看到另一篇文章“Ego – The False Center” ，摘录其中几段：
“Ego is always shaken, always in search of food, that somebody should appreciate it. That's why you continuously ask for attention. You get the idea of who you are from others. It is not a direct experience. It is from others that you get the idea of who you are. They shape your center. This center is false, because you carry your real center.
When the ego is no more, humbleness comes to you. It is not a creation. It is a shadow of the real center. And a really humble man is neither humble nor egoistic. He is simply simple. He's not even aware that he is humble. If you are aware that you are humble, the ego is there. “What is ego? Ego is a hierarchy that says, "No one is like me." It can feed on humbleness - "Nobody is like me, I am the most humble man."
So you have two centers. One center you come with, which is given by existence itself. That is the self. And the other center, which is created by the society, is the ego. It is a false thing - and it is a very great trick. Through the ego the society is controlling you. You have to behave in a certain way, because only then does the society appreciate you."
另外，Eckhart said: “One criterion you can use is to know, if there is any negativity involved, anger, resentment, irritation, then Ego is present there.”
看完之后，感觉这一个字的 concept 很深刻, 个人理解为：egoism 就是竭力为了得到他人/社会的注意力、认可、赞赏去满足虚荣心所滋生出的自骄或是自卑的负面心态和情绪，并意识不到真实的自我已被外界控制而去不断满足一个虚假做作的自我。只有去思考产生负面心态和情绪的原因时，才会跳出来看到是 ego 在作怪。