It’s weird for me to go very judgemental on a book that seems, for the title, nothing wrong with it. Ego Is The Enemy. Pretty bold, right? We don't want to be seen as we don’t care about other people, right? But one thing is being seen as a good person and the other is being a good person.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually agree with many things and opinions the author comments in his book. Particularly about always being the student, seeking learning is a step to defeat your ego.
This book, in a way, goes through a variety of examples, particularly the historical ones with different personas in different scenarios. The purpose of this book is to defeat and suppress your ego. The ego is unhealthy. Staying and being humble is the key to success.
So far so good. The difficulties of coping with this book started in the chapter named Restrain Yourself.
Ryan Holiday stated the story of Jackie Robinson, the first black man baseball player to enter the Major League Baseball. He tells the story of how Jackie dealt with racism during his career. He says, and I quote:
But you’re not able to change the system until after you’ve made it.
Later on, Ryan explains how restraining from racism was the key to Jackie Robinson’s success. Whereat the begging of the chapter, he tells also the story of Jacke dealing with police brutality. Comparing these two situations, it seemed that not seeking trouble is someway good, in terms of police brutality…
Later on in the chapter, he concludes that Jackie Robinson had temper and frustrations like all of us do.
And that was the point where it just did not click anymore for me. I think a little context is necessary. Ryan Holiday is a white, US citizen man. The temper and frustrations he can have would never be the ones compared to Jackie Robinson's ones. A black man in 1947. Where in many states the Jim Crow laws still existed!
I get the general idea of restricting yourself from a situation that really bothers you. This can be a disagreement on a contract, a pizza topping, but sorry Ryan Holiday. But for me, it would never be racism.
I know it seems a pretty judgmental review from a book that tells us ego is there undermining us on the very journey we’ve put everything into pursuing.
But I also find his choices of examples for dealing with ego very controversial. For example, he gives the example of Bill Clinton as being a hard worker and well, a really organized personal overall. And yes, Bill Clinton was that kind of man. But I simply don't connect with a book that tells to defeat our ego, and also quoting Bill Clinton’s life. A man who ruined a young woman’s career — yes, Monica Lewinsky — , who was only in the business of learning, and being an intern. And to also mention, much other shady stuff the Clintons have done.
In the second part of the book, specifically, the chapter Don’t Tell Yourself a Story he stated Jeff Bezos as the entrepreneur he is. Nothing new about that. That there was no “aha moment” where he knew Amazon would be a success. I just find it really weird to put in a book that deals with ego, staying the life of a man, who has become the first trillionaire in history. In 2020, where more than a million have died due to a horrifying pandemic and Amazon workers are asking for a petition to the company for paid time off just to vote. The context of this was in 2016, but still, no much has changed in terms of Amazon when dealing with essential workers.
In conclusion, yes, this review was very judgmental and rough, I admit it. Overall, I agree with the general ideas of the book itself. But I don’t think this book was built for a person like me. In many chapters, I got described ego in many various ways, but if I am being honest I got a perception of ego with a big male perspective, particularly, an American one. The aspect of defeating ego just to achieve fame and wealth.
This book grasps very little about minorities, instead, the author decides to use examples of very wealthy business white men and historical figures who fought in the war. Too much American pride if I am being sincere. It didn’t work for me, but if it works for someone else and helps them in improving their life when dealing with ego, cool.
But hey, not all have to be negative. I actually leave with one particular thing, and yes positive about this book. Is to think of yourself as an eternal student to stay humble. I will encourage myself to learn. And live as an eternal student of life, dedicated to learning as long as I may live. Not only I will keep this mindset in my daily work life, but also in the social part, and in the fight for civil rights.
