A thought crossed my mind the other day: I am nobody We are somebody I thought about how valuable it is to think in this framework to reduce ego and being self-centered. How to think beyond my personal needs and make my actions and efforts on the part of something larger, beneficial, and more powerful than myself. I can choose to give over my personal, individual needs to put my efforts towards that of the whole. I can come together with others who are like-minded to build something greater than what we can achieve as individuals. My thought process continued though that this concept is likely a central tenet, philosophy, or doctrine of gangs or terrorist groups. In this case it's a tool to break down the individual, to strip him of his identity and replace it with total subservience to the group goals and ideals. In this case the needs of the individual are erased to serve the needs of the group, which are really the needs of the leader or leaders. Herein lies the ...