Good thread. I've seen some say its that which separates and I guess, for me, it goes a bit deeper. I get the ego-centric angle as well as that in the extreme as with disorders like malignant narcissism and what each of those cause but the difference is only in degrees. Separate things can still be connected or have a sense of it but an ego that over rides the spirit creates an actual disconnect. The greater the disconnect, the greater the personal loss; that being the experience of being one with all of creation including humanity. For me, the issue isn't about some measure of inflation or deflation but of not allowing it to create a disconnect from all that's been afforded me by birth right including my spiritual self. When connected, I realize that I am part of the lowest of low and highest of high, neither above nor below anyone else, and what I and they do affects us all. PS: Kind of a "100th Monkey" thing is what I'm saying and I don't disagree with the BB, I just see it saying this in my own words.