The Ruling Faculty (B)

The Part of You That's Been in Charge All Along - Whether You Know it or Not.

The interesting part of this so far is that when we think about what the ruling faculty actually is, we find it to almost be alive in its own right.

It does not become altered when threatened by criticism.

That’s some powerful stuff because it never requires approval in the first place before it operates at its best.

It is, in the most precise sense, the part of you that existed before the ego ever go to assemble itself and will stay concreted whenever the ego’s defenses are not needed.

^{Being able to distinguish between the two is one of the most practically useful Stoic practices you can master.}

The ego is reactive.

Ponder on that for a second.

The higher one’s ego is, the more reaction to external factors. And if not controlled through training, can lead to uncontrolled reactions that lead to big regrets.

So, let’s say somebody critized the way you did your job.

Perhaps somebody other then your boss.

You might feel the nagging tug of resentment because you tend to view yourself as a higher-level player in the business. You might even read this example and immediately conclude, no, that’s not me, I don’t let such things bother me.

But, do you really?

That’s why being capable of totally raw and honest self-examination is important here, and like I said, the bigger a person’s ego, the less likely, or certainly harder it is, to honestly reflect and accept constructive criticism.

And that’s true whether the criticism is completely condescending or intended as constructive toward you.

So, the ego jumps into action boxing gloves on, or the opposite, it shrinks further into the corner.