Recently I had a rather unpleasant interaction with a woman who was one of these new-agey, hippy types. You know, one of these people who feels that they have a deep understanding of the universe and thus are superior to you.

Now, currently I’m reading what my be considered a new agey book: “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle. Tolle, while not associated with any particular religion or belief system, is one of these guys who argues that humans can achieve a sort of inner peace. I’ve heard about him in the past and a lot of what he says seems to jibe with my theories on neuroscience and psychology so I thought I’d give him a shot. Today I come across a section about how material possessions help construct our egos. He notes…

… [R]enouncing all possessions has been an ancient spiritual practice in both East and West. Renunciation of possessions, however, will not automatically free you of the ego. It will attempt to ensure its survival by finding something else to identify with, for example, a mental image of yourself as someone who has transcended all interest in material possessions and is therefore superior, is more spiritual than others. There are people who have renounced all possessions but have a bigger ego than some millionaires.

I read that and it immediately brought to mind [annoying woman who shall remain nameless.] I had the sense that for all her purported spirituality, she was very much in the thrall of her own ego. She would do something nice for someone (whether they needed it or not) and you could practically see her patting herself on the back. (“Aren’t I a good person, so much better than these scum around me.”)

Frankly, this is what bugs me about a lot of do-gooder types, be they altruistic liberals or conservative Christians. There’s this unavoidable sense that they feel their self sacrifice makes them feel superior to all around them (in which case it’s not much of a sacrifice, is it?)

Tolle continues.

Anticonsumerism or antiprivate ownership would be another thought form, another mental position, that can replace identification with possessions. Through it you could make yourself right and others wrong. …making yourself right and others wrong is one of the principal egoic mind patterns, one of the main forms of unconsciousness.”

That’s the rub right there. A lot of people purport to have beliefs that serve the interests of everyone else, but it seems these beliefs really serve the owner’s ego.

I, on the other hand, do not need to endlessly tout my own good acts to create a sense of being superior to those around me. I know I’m superior to everyone for a variety of reasons I can get to later. Thus I am truly enlightened.