Discovering the True Self by Jinal Feige
The ego inhibits individuals from embracing their true selves. Acting as a destructively selfish force, the ego focuses on material items and individual needs instead of being of service to humanity. The Peaceful Warrior points out that “there is no higher purpose than service to others.” Although the British poet Joseph Rudyard Kipling and the American songwriter John Clayton Mayer come from completely different worlds, both address the importance of conquering the ego in order to discover one’s true self and be of service to the world.
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Rudyard Kipling (December 30, 1865- January 18, 1936) writes about overcoming the ego in order to “be a Man” in his poem “If.” Kipling defines a man as an individual who is not controlled by his ego and acts towards the common good of mankind. Growing up in Bombay, British India gives Kipling the insight of accepting other cultures and learning to tame his ego in order to show compassion for others. Kipling states that “if you can keep your head when all about you/ are losing theirs and blaming it on you,” one may defeat one’s ego. He uses hyperbole to emphasize the fact that most people are driven by their egos as they continually blame other people. In order to find one’s true self, one must be the better person and ignore the falsehoods others are telling. Kipling reveals to the reader various methods to break free from the ego with advice like: “don’t deal in lies; ” or “don’t give way to hating,” and “don’t look too good, nor talk too wise.” Kipling uses personification when he says “if you can meet with triumph and disaster/ and treat those two imposters just the same.” He implies that the ego will bring an individual down in any situation, whether it is good or bad. Kipling also explains how the ego can be a manipulative force. When he states that “the truth you’ve spoken/ twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,” he is referring to the ego and how it bends the truth for its own advantage.
Kipling teaches the audience to respect all people but to love the true self above all in the line “if all men count with you, but none too much.” He is implying that one immersion in love gets rid of the ego. When individuals love who they truly are, they can love others around them and do good deeds to benefit society as a whole. Kipling also advises to “walk with kings” but do not “lose the common touch.” He implies that people should value themselves with the utmost respect but to avoid letting their egos get in control and blind them with material wealth. The powerful forces of truth, love and living in the present moment destroy the ego. Kipling recognizes these important tools when he advises one to “fill the unforgiving minute/ with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run.” In essence, Kipling is saying to live life fully in the present moment.
John Mayer, October 16, 1977-present, also mentions vanquishing the ego in his song “Gravity.” As an American with an intense love for the blues, John Mayer can identify with his true self. Singing the blues coincides with his cardiac arrhythmia and panic attacks, which he overcomes. Mayer acknowledges the damage the ego can cause in “Gravity” when he states that “gravity/ is working against me/ and gravity/ wants to bring me down.” The ego is so selfish that it not only harms society, but it actually inflicts pain on the individual. The ego is so conniving that it convinces a person that nothing is ever good enough. Mayer, who embraces his true self, is perplexed by the fact that others who have “all the love” are able to “dream of ways/ to throw it all away.” Their egos can never be satisfied so the egos end up destroying all the happiness in their lives. John Mayer understands that “twice as much/ ain’t twice as good/ and can’t sustain/ like one half could.” He acknowledges the fact that the greedy ego is insatiable and is always wanting more, but “it’s wanting more/ that’s gonna send me to my knees.” John Mayer advises against attachments because he realizes that unnecessary pelf just feeds the ego. The ego tricks the individual in being concerned about material things while the individual neglects their true self and becomes a burden on society. When people are only worried about wealth and other worldly attachments, their egos can never be satisfied, while their true selves suffocate. They focus on all their attachments and let their egos take control over them. When people only care for such things, they cannot find any meaning in their lives because they are obsessed with obtaining and keeping all their attachments. John Mayer sings “just keep me where the light is.” The light is symbolic of truth and love, which destroy the ego. By defeating his ego, John Mayer accepts his true self and is able to help humanity. He is involved in philanthropic activities such as Another Kind of Green, which is an organization focusing on reversing global warming.
Although Rudyard Kipling and John Mayer come from different time periods and completely different lifestyles, both address the problem of the ego and the importance of being able to conquer it. For instance, through his song “Gravity” John Mayer reveals the insidiously deceptive nature of the Ego and offers simple ways to allow the true self to shine for the benefit of the world. Similarly, Kipling acknowledges the ego in his poem “If” and also teaches the reader how to overcome it through practical suggestions. Both artists appear to be aware that when the masses conquer their egos, they will be able to focus on embracing their true selves and becoming an asset to society.
Works Cited
Kipling, Rudyard. “If”.
. 23 July 2009.
Mayer, John. “Gravity”. Continuum. Sony BMG, Aware, Columbia, 2007.
“Does He Know?”
-Jinal Feige
Does he know?
When I’m with him I can never be low,
And the river in my heart begins to flow.
I do not want him to know.
Does he know?
As he teases then flirts and smiles,
Joy erupts within me and I can run for miles.
I think maybe he should know.
Does he know?
I find myself lost in his eyes of the sea,
And whenever we talk I can just be me.
I hope he soon will know.
Gravity
John Mayer
Gravity
Is working against me
And gravity
Wants to bring me down
Whoa I'll never know
What makes this man
With all the love
That his heart can stand
Dream of ways
To throw it all away
Whoa Gravity
Is working against me
And gravity
Wants to bring me down
Oh twice as much
Ain’t twice as good
And can't sustain
Like one half could
It's wanting more
It's gonna send me to my knees
instrumental
Oh twice as much
Ain’t twice as good
And can't sustain
Like one half could
It's wanting more
that's gonna send me to my knees
Oh gravity
Stay the hell away from me
Oh gravity
Has taken better men than me
Now how can that be?
Just keep me where the light is
Just keep me where the light is
Just keep me where the light is
C’mon keep me where the light is
C’mon keep me where the light is
C’mon keep me where keep me where the light is
If
Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son