Acharya Prashant explains that the ego is the fundamental sense of 'I am' that seeks completion through various labels such as gender, profession, or emotional states. He describes the ego as inherently false, insecure, and incapable of seeing beyond itself. Consequently, when the ego claims to respect something, it is merely respecting its own reflection or biases, as it lacks the clarity and courage to appreciate anything truly external. He defines real respect as the ability to look cleanly and clearly at something to arrive at the truth, rather than following blind traditions or social influences. Regarding self-respect, Acharya Prashant asserts that it is impossible without self-knowledge. He argues that most people live in a state of self-disrespect by remaining ignorant of their true nature for their entire lives. True self-respect is synonymous with self-awareness and is achieved through the process of discarding everything that is not the real self. He notes that the ego thrives in the absence of self-knowledge, and the more one knows themselves, the more the ego dissolves. Addressing the concern of being hurt by others, he suggests that one only feels humiliated if they are not assured of their own truth. If one is confident in their understanding, the opinions of the ignorant cannot affect them. He redefines humility not as bowing down to others, but as the ability to recognize one's own vulnerabilities and the nature of the ego. To be humble is to see illusions for what they are and to maintain a sense of detachment from the systematic weaknesses of the ego.