More on consumerism from Tolle on Oprah.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vKerJp8k32M
(Part 8 of the originally posted youtube on pg22--Re:a shopaholic mom)
I really like the suggestion that people go out and appreciate nature and
don't pick flowers or take physical things away from the environment -- deny that compulsion to
acquire things you think are pretty or of value but have no real purpose for you to take home w/ you. I liked this example of flowers because it's less obvious than things you can buy in a store...
And later on in the video the point is made that when people are concerned w/ placing their understanding of themselves among people that they meet or know of (celebs) it's always the Ego at work (YOU as inferior v. superior, wealthier v. poorer, better dressed v. less stylish, more articulate v. less articulate, authentic v. inauthentic, more spiritual v. less spiritual, exceptional v. mediocre).
guis, i think the example you're asking about isn't Ego... why must you force yourself to do anything? In the video above a question was brought up on whether correcting bad habits is just another form of Ego at work (e.g. still assigning importance but this time a negative one in need of a solution)--Tolle's answer is that there shouldn't be a need to feel forced to correct bad habits because they ought to fall away once you stop giving them the false importance you assign to them in the first place (at least that's how i interpreted what he said, ha).
SO, I think the consideration of
forcing yourself to go to a party you don't want to attend = Ego... but if you're
neurotic about crowds or make blanket statements about
all get-togethers and incorporate that into your identity then that'd be Ego too.