egomaniac ? this is a bad thing why ? 031114 ... daf Because inside the ego, there is lack of knowledge. There is self knowledge only through exploration of the self. There is world knowledge, only through exploration of the world. Yet for as long as the teacher is self, who is the student? Self as well? No, the self is taught by that which is outside the self and then claims that knowledge as though it were also the teacher. 031114 ... misstree why is it wrong to assume that the self is the most evolved that it can be at that given point, and take pride in that? why is it wrong to look at others around you and know that you are bigger stronger faster meaner slicker smarter or more badazz than they? everyone is *not* equal. an egomaniac is one whose pride is indomitable, but it does not mean they aren't open to improvement. knowing you're king sh!t of crap hill doesn't mean you shut out the opportunity to become emperor. 031115 ... daf it does however mean that you are less likely to listen to the "peasants." A sure recipe for revolution or the decline and waste of the empire. 031115 ... ego maniacal 031115 ... ? daf: but why is claiming 'ownership' of knowledge a bad thing? Surely the knowledge itself, not it's origin is the key. Once absorbed into the self, the knowledge is part of the self, therefore, in order to become the greatest self possible (the ultimate goal of the egomaniac?) you must absorb all knowledge. again, I ask, why not ? 031115 ... oldephebe I guess stapling yourself to any polarity along the continuum of knowledge/ego/empath/..the whole humility thing and peripatetic quests to glean something beyond the self..is fraught with the myopia that any absolutist fealty/adherence bequeaths. Here's the thing..even if one ventures outside of the self to learn the other or to acquire special knowledge, at some point this knowledge becomes part of the self..distilled to some extent through the apeture of personhood. I kinda think the truth lies somewhere in the median. Whenever we adhere to extremes and polarities we either obliterate some essential aspect of self or the other. Delineating the parameters between the two and the murkiness of various configurations of the potential and inevitable permutations is to become ensnared in another unresolvable albeit earnest quagmire of conjecture. What is the more virtuous path? What is the Holy and more enlightened Way. What is the virtue of expediency and efficasy as it relates to the varied spectrum of personal styles..personhood? i can only answer for myself ... 031115 ... oldephebe addendum..sort of..Sometimes you need the power and charisma of a Napoleonic personhood to get done needs to be done. Other times,when dealing with perhaps more pliable, sensitive advesaries, interlocutors a different approach is neccessary..hmm i wanted to say that a little more comprehensively..but it'd just be parroting another abhorrent aphoristic nugget. think i'll eschew those rotting planks for now.. later, 031115 ... oE huh? 040220 ... tarantula To me this is such a waste of breath *cough* cough* I mean of time and words. Get to something different. Something RAW, bloody, and new. These ancient webs of rhetoric and "morality" is a pain in my ass. You know, I hear it every day. Blow 'em up. Needless to say I no longer feel the way I once did, but then again time changes all creatures great and small, whether it be flowers or decay. 040220 ... oE I just bought a case Charmin deluxe and double quilted 4ply toilet paper. I've got some spare rolls if you want any. 040220 ... andru235 i am "e-conga"! 050710 ... Lemon_Soda Why not? Very simple. IF your the best there is how could you stand to be around anyone else? Contversly, how could anyone stand to be around you? Being an egomaniac dooms you to a very lonely existence. 050711 ... . . 050722 ... misstree being an egomaniac dooms you to keep close only those worthy of your care, as worthy of pride as yourself. doesn't mean be mean to other people any more than you should kick puppies because they have no opposable thumbs. is a lousy devil's_advocate today. 050722 what's it to you? who go blather from