Oddbean

This is more structured. In your latest example, both are conscious, just on a different level of the awareness spectrum, where the latter is less aware and more animal like, but that is not an 'unhealthy ego', hs/she is just less aware. The ego is never a healthful thing, and a narcissist is not one without an ego, nor one with an unhealthy ego, he/she has a properly functioning ego, which is unhealthful. Intellectuals are very egocentric and they often have visceral reactions when confronted. Losing the ego does not make you a narcissist, or less aware or an animal. You can be an intelligent individual and have no ego, you are a humble loving saint.