Introduction
Egocentrism is the absolutization of egoism, the attitude to “oneself” as the center of being. Often, this term is understood as a view that puts the individual “I” of a person in the middle of the entire universe. Hence, it is an extreme form of individualism and egoism (Paul & Elder, 2020). This paper focuses on an attempt to explain the specifics of egocentrism in a more precise and straightforward form and give practical examples related to this position.
Recognizing Egocentrism
In my own words, egocentrism is a phenomenon in which a person cannot consider the admissibility of a different point of view from their own. The rule guides such individuals — “there are two types of opinions: mine and the wrong ones.” Often, they are ready to insult and condemn people with a different point of view without even trying to understand what they mean and why.
Egocentrism is harmful, and humanity must overcome it to see a holistic picture of the world and objectively assess situations. It is essential to be a fair-minded individual since “egotism” is a quality that is not easy to live with, interact with people, and move forward. Self-obsession prevents one from looking at circumstances from the other person’s side and putting yourself in his place. The whole world is not obliged to adapt to the ideas and needs of “selfish people,” and there are other ones on Earth.
The main goal in my life, which could be improved, is based on the search for inner balance, harmony, love, positivity, and the right attitude to life cases. Thus, I will be able to improve my life and help other people in the implementation of this aspect. Moreover, I should rely on the concepts of pluralism and remember that a correct attitude to different personalities, their preferences, and interests leads to success in any endeavors and continuation of affairs.
The formation and development of a fair mind can be practiced almost everywhere. For example, in a grocery store, a person needs to put themselves in the place of other sellers and not immediately take offense and argue when they are given an unripe banana or burnt bread. It is important to remember that a seller is not obliged to play along at all; this is the same person with their unique nature.
Conclusion
One should state that egocentrism is a very “harmful” and “unpleasant” phenomenon in which people tend to think that the world revolves exclusively around them. Fixating only on their own experiences, people limit themselves to opportunities for a prosperous life. Suffering from egocentrism, a person often finds himself in a situation of conflict or loneliness because he does not recognize the rights of others to their personal feelings, desires, needs, and interests.
Reference
Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2020). Critical thinking: Tools for taking charge of your professional and personal life (2nd ed.). The Foundation for Critical Thinking.