As far as I can tell, "identifying" the origin of a thought ("ego", "mammal", "ape", "ID") mostly amounts to post-hoc rationalization.
Conversation
Replying to
Subjectively, thoughts seem to form in clusters around particular body sensations, emanating from them like smell from... something smelly.
1
1
Replying to
It's meaningless to assign these thoughts to any particular identity subroutine - they form like rivers from streams.
1
1
Replying to
But essentially, in naming the source beyond some concrete sensation (which can be attributed to any number of primary/auxiliary causes)...
1
Replying to
... we're reifying what was only a concept. If we then assign this imaginary construct plans, agendas etc., we've made a joke of ourselves.
1
Replying to
Not because these ideas couldn't conceivably be accurate, but because we've replaced actual interactions with storytelling.
1
Replying to
And instead of saying, for example, "This feels offensive",
it becomes "This is offensive to my ego/character/race/philosophy/politics."
1
Replying to
But those are just names you've given a fundamentally ineffable process. And now you think you know the Why, the What will soon follow.
Replying to
Until eventually you "know" everything about this thought, its genesis, its cousins and its enemies.
While forgetting what it actually is.