Acharya Prashant explains that pride or ego is essentially the attempt to create an image of oneself in the mind of another person. Whether one tries to project a superior image or a humble one, the underlying issue remains the same: the locus of control has been handed over to someone else. This 'otherness' signifies that the center of one's thoughts and activities is external rather than internal. When a speaker focuses on building an image rather than speaking what is necessary or beneficial, they harm both themselves and the listener by catering to the ego instead of providing genuine value.