how the concept of the ego has been transformed into a metaphysical scapegoat within modern spiritual culture. The author argues that we often blame this "ego" for our personal failings to avoid the uncomfortable realization that it possesses no physical reality or solid substance. By treating the self as a symbolic social institution rather than a tangible object, the narrative draws on Zen philosophy to show that our mental suffering stems from a refusal to look directly at the void where we imagine a self to be. Instead of trying to eliminate or fix this phantom, the text suggests that we should simply question its existence until the illusion collapses. Ultimately, liberation is found not through a spiritual project of self-improvement, but by recognizing that the source of our resistance was never truly there.