Sociopath Community

"It is the deeply buried but ever-present intuition that you are the center of the universe that gives rise to feelings and beliefs in one's uniqueness and specialness."

"Ernest Becker (in the Pulitzer-Prize-winner The Denial of Death): "Chapter 3: Human Character as a Vital Lie" - "In childhood we see the struggle for self-esteem at its least disguised. The child is unashamed about what he needs and wants most . . .. the prerogatives of limitless self-extension, what we might call "cosmic significance" . . . the heart of the creature: the desire to stand out, to be the one in creation . . . who has to feel himself an object of primary value: first in the universe, representing in himself all of life. This is the reason for the daily and usual excruciating struggle with siblings . . ."

"It's needed to stave off both psychosis and God."

William Blake: "If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is: infinite." (in this case, "ego" is apparently the "door of perception").

I think your ego can make you weaker if you focus on self image and can make you stronger if you focus on knowing yourself.

I agree that confidence can help win but only if you can back it up.

 what about the use of self-image/disguise, as used often by  socio's/psychos's and manipulative people to further their gains?

Puppetry is a classic example of this, especially on this site. 

Is it an extension of a disordered mind?...or an ego-based ploy to gain?

Where do you think the Ego comes into play in those instances?

Is self-knowledge necessarily an Ego-based thing?, or a tool to better oneself, to further enhance ones strengths, and minimise ones weaknesses? ...or does it simply all fall under the umbrella of the ego/id.

I think my ego is part of my core personality. It's the part of me that displays my arrogant self-pride, selfishness and self-absorbed mind.

It's part of what makes me who I am.

would you say that your arrogance contributes to over-confidence in your own abilities?

by hypercube

I think your ego can make you weaker if you focus on self image and can make you stronger if you focus on knowing yourself.

 Psychopaths are very self-focused and not very introspective, does that mean they're weak?

Probably both. Depends on how the puppet is being used. It could be an easy way to get information by presenting a sympathetic character.  It could be a form of self expression. The way it relates to ego would be that the person feels justified in doing it even if other people feel its inappropriate.

I think self knowledge is just knowledge. It can be used as a tool to better oneself if that is how one wishes to use it.

I don't believe I'm over-confident. I know what I'm capable of and I know my limits, though I do like to push them when I can.

by Thrill Kill

 

by hypercube

I think your ego can make you weaker if you focus on self image and can make you stronger if you focus on knowing yourself.

 Psychopaths are very self-focused and not very introspective, does that mean they're weak?

 I think it is a potentially exploitable weakness.

To me, "weak" and "strong" are not absolutes, they're relative terms.