Oddbean

Is a complex subject anyway. Testing reality is for example, you perceive something as dangerous, so you get into alert mode. A healthy person will use the Ego to understand (test reality) if the situation is really dangerous or coming from fear (unconscious). If is not real danger will act accordingly and relax. A person with an unhealthy Ego or without the capacity to test reality, will simply react. I am in danger therefore I attack, even if danger is just perceived and not real. Does it make sense?

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.