Ego - Imaging Software from God

We spend a lot of our lives trying to be ourselves. The problem with that is we are ourselves already. What we're trying to become is the image we want to portray.

No one would admit that they were trying to put up an image. Doing so would be "wrong". That's how counter-culture comes about. People want to show everyone that they don't care what they think about them. If you think about that a little, you'll see the problem. It's mother nature's way of using reverse psychology.

What is a purple mohawak? It's an advertisement that says, "I'm not comforming to your ideas of being normal. I'm a totally unique individual, going against the flow. I don't care what you think about it either."

Another big factor in one's image is religion. What makes religion so appealing isn't that it gives "answers" to the mysteries, but that it gives someone the pedastal to teach these answers. By believing the ultimate truth is on our side, then we become self-righteous. We use religion to reinforce our self image. We want to be right and religion makes us right. It tells us we are right.

This can also happen with people who do a lot of charity work. Often times they've done something in the past that makes people think less of them. Or for some other reason they feel as though people don't like them, or might try to attack their character. So, they set out to strengthen their character. By being a "good" person, you can shield yourself from attack. Do you think Mother Teresa had to put up with people talking smack about her? I'm guessing not. We all make mistakes, and I'm sure she had at some time in her life. But no one can say anything about it. She's immune to character assasination.

These are just examples of how our imaging software works. We're programmed to desire acceptance and understanding and will do whatever it takes.

What's the solution? Do we reprogram ourselves to not desire acceptance and understanding? I don't think so. It may not even be possible. People who say they don't need to be understood or accepted are putting up an image they see as independence. Their greatest weakness would be vulnerability.

How do we stop imaging ourselves then? The first step is to realize what you're doing. When you understand who you're trying to impress and how, you can begin to see what about you isn't true.

After you take down the false image, you have to turn off the Imaging Software. Stop portraying an image. This will probably leave you feeling lost. You have no image, and you still don't know who you are. You'll feel that at least the image gave you a sense of meaning.

But now that you have gotten rid of the image you can begin to discover your true self. Start asking yourself questions like: "What am I passionate about?" "What do I want out of life?" "What makes morality?"

Of course, before you can take that first step you have to want to know yourself. You have to be open to change. Once you start to learn who you truely are, everything you thought you had believed could change. If you say, "I know who I am and what I believe is right, I'll never change it," then you probably don't know who you are, but you've got an image that's become self sufficient. The software is running itself and you'll have a hard time Control, Alt, Deleting it.