Signs Your Ego Is Ruling Your Life

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Even culture can be to blame

Don’t be surprised if friends who come from other cultures don’t talk much of the ego, or don’t seem to struggle with many egotistical individuals in their communities. To serve the ego is a slightly American thing. “On an even broader scope, American culture and most western civilizations operate from a western lens that pushes for individualism, whereas many indigenous cultures have a collective or community-oriented worldview,” she says. “Individuals are highly susceptible to observational learning and internalize the actions that best suited their survival in their families of origins and other major experiences.” There’s beauty in the American way of encouraging each person to rise up and make the most of their lives, but it’s true that personal ambition necessitates some level of ego that more family-centered cultures may not see.