Mocking the Ego Only Makes Ours Stronger

These days, the world gives us endless chances to mock. The behaviour of leaders, the noise of politics, the chaos in public life - there is no shortage of material. Every time we scroll, there’s something new to laugh at or get upset about. And every now and then, I come across a cleverly written post or article taking down one of these figures. It is sharp, funny and full of outrage. Friends share it with laughter, likes and clapping hands, and I get it - it feels good. It feels like justice through humour, like being on the right side. For a moment, we feel smarter, cleaner and more aware. There is a kind of pleasure in it - the comfort of being part of a group that “gets it.”

But whenever I see things like that, something in me pauses. Not because I agree with the person being mocked, and not because I think we should ignore bad behaviour. It is something quieter. A small inner voice asking: what part of us is enjoying this?

If we look closely, something shifts inside when we mock ego in someone else. The finger we point outward feeds our own ego a little. It gets stronger each time we enjoy seeing someone “put in their place.” Outrage can feel righteous. Judging can feel clear. But underneath, a part of us is feeding, not freeing. As Eckhart Tolle reminds us, the hatred of arrogance is simply arrogance in another form. It is the same ego wearing the mask of moral purity.

I used to think speaking truth meant speaking loudly. Now I see that sometimes speaking loudly is a way of avoiding looking within. Outrage is easier than awareness. Mocking someone’s ego is easier than meeting our own. The traits we criticise in others often live quietly inside us too - the need to be noticed, the fear of being small, the wish to feel important. When we attack those traits in others, we miss the chance to heal them in ourselves. And in that avoidance, the ego quietly grows.

When we celebrate someone’s “fall,” even if it feels deserved, something tightens in us. It might be subtle, but our hearts close a little. We become who we criticise, just dressed differently - self-righteous instead of arrogant, superior instead of powerful. Same ego, different outfit.

This does not mean we stay silent or pretend wrong is right. Awareness is not weakness. But awareness without compassion becomes judgement, and judgement without reflection becomes ego pretending to be wise. We can stand for truth and still stay kind. We can disagree deeply without hardening inside.

The real question is, who in us is speaking? The soul does not need to insult to show truth. Wisdom does not need to shout to shine. When awareness is present, even correction feels light and freeing - never cruel. Only ego mocks ego. Spirit simply sees. And as James Hollis writes, we are not here to be right; we are here to be conscious. That simple truth changes how we speak, how we respond and how we see ourselves.

So the next time outrage feels sweet and judgement feels clever, maybe we pause. We take a breath. We notice what is moving inside us. And instead of joining the crowd of ridicule, we choose to see, not strike. To rise, not react. To be real, not right.

Mocking ego does not dissolve ego. Awareness does. Presence does. Humility does. And every time we choose those, something in us opens a little wider. We do not just avoid becoming what we criticise - we move beyond it. In the end, maybe the most powerful thing we can do is not to tear down the ego in others, but to stop feeding the ego in ourselves. That alone changes the world - starting with the one within.