Ego Parking; a thought experiment.

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IVO beHOLDER

On the Highway to the future we are stuck in traffic!

Endless traffic jams of private-owned labels, none disclosure agreements, green trendsetters and containers full of sustainability labels and certificates block our road. One for sure even better, greener, faster as the other stand still and watch the traffic jams at the other side of the road. Colliding ego’s. The traffic jam in which bankers, insurance corporations, politicians and the “in for the money” captains of industry crowd behind the colossale trucks that carry the loan shark policies and stockbroker bubbles as if it was garbage towards the abyss, hoping to reach the other side over the heap of rubbish left behind. Even the hard shoulder as supplementary traffic lane for re-education is crowded with new experts and specialized programs. Physically and Digitally we have hit a wall.

That’s why we take the exit at the sign e-transferium; egoparking!

Hilbert’s paradox of the Grand Hotel

Consider a hypothetical hotel with a countably infinite number of rooms, all of which are occupied. One might be tempted to think that the hotel would not be able to accommodate any newly arriving guests, as would be the case with a finite number of rooms.

Suppose a new guest arrives and wishes to be accommo-dated in the hotel. Because the hotel has infinitely many rooms, we can move the guest occupying room 1 to room 2, the guest occupying room 2 to room 3 and so on, and fit the newcomer into room 1. By repeating this procedure, it is possible to make room for any finite number of new guests.

Free parking space is guaranteed!

In our experiment we have asked David to be our head of ego-park attendants.

David Hilbert (January 1862–February 1943) was a German mathematician. He is recognized as one of the most influential and universal mathematicians of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Hilbert discovered and developed a broad range of fundamental ideas in many areas.

Ego Parking;

A thought experiment.

Albert Einstein

A secret weapon as mentioned by Albert Einstein. Who are we as none physicists to use such an instrument, whereby Albert Einstein in all greatness fundamentally changed our view on physical science and became the pioneer of our modern technological improvements. We realize that parking our ego sounds as improbable as riding ones bicycle at the same speed of a bundle of light, and surely we do not pretend to explain our ego as subject or neurological concept.

As mentioned we are no scientists, but it is a hopeful sign to read that neurologists in Stanfort by accident stumbled upon a brain network that instigates a fighting spirit to survive or to achieve the impossible. By electronic pulse stimulated brain activity, trial subjects experienced an emotional willpower to persevere in ones task. This invoked the question whether we could temporarily turn off our ego. Simply by parking it. Ego-parking as a thought-experiment?

Intrinsic motivation and task performance

Those who temporarily park their ego, big or small, will be able to, not hindered by any emotional influence by others, work on a defined and collectively chosen assignment. One’s ego can no longer be touched and therefore the intrinsic motivation and task performance will increase. One will be more open for other, only than the self perceived best approach, pathways of facing a challenge if they serve and ad value to a mutual agreed upon goal. Automatically this will stimulate the intrinsic motivation of the group. The extrinsic motivation, actually reaching ones goal, will have no other effect than stimulating the cooperative members to strive and reach their own as well as the mutually agreed upon goal. The principle of equality will serve the intrinsic motivation to perform well as a team.

To find satisfaction or gratification in doing what is necessary, in pursuing a chosen goal from a collective perspective. To do what is necessary for achieving that goal while preserving and value one’s self respect, creating added value and equality in value sharing. As Human Kind, the sum of all individuals and all characteristics that define us, actively effective add value, shape and give content to the concept, norm, idea or ideal of the mutual assignment.

Inevitably we do understand that our ego is of an existential value for all innovative and breakthrough discoveries and inventions, and we are not promoting to actually part from our egos. Just temporarily park your ego if cooperation is needed for reaching a collective goal.

ego-Parking Card

The ego-parking card is a personal card which makes it possible for each individual to temporarily park their ego or invite someone else to do so. In any given situation in which cooperation and gaining acceptance in order to achieve a broad basis for innovative ideas is overshadowed or dominated by egos, playing the ego-parking card can bring relief. Better cooperation can also be achieved if one dares to have a vulnerable attitude. Either way one’s ego is cranked or one’s inflated ego is dominating a debate or meeting, playing the ego-card requires courage, otherwise the law of the jungle will prevail. The ego-card is a metaphorical gadget which is meant to spark an open-minded approach. Most of the time inflated egos are not self-aware of their enforcing way to convince others of their ideas. Try to play the card in one of your meetings, set a time limit and you will be surprised with the immediate effect.