Personality

In general a personality can be described as an integrated set of modes of behaviour through which a system interacts with an environment. Each system has a range of potential behaviours and a set of stimuli / response associations. A stream of particular behaviours arises in response to a stream of events, which are part of an experiential interaction with some environment. Within this stream of behaviours and associations there are patterns and this set of patterns can collectively be called the generalised personality of the system. Different 'modes' of behaviour correspond to different sub-personalities.

Ego

The ego is a point of identification. It is a simulacrum of the system symbolically represented within a complex system's stream of consciousness. It functions as a point of self-reference and self-control.

Ego + Personality

Analogy

Analogically the organism, composed of trillions of cells is like a society composed of many millions of individuals. The mind is like the culture within a society. The ego is like a ruling regime within a culture. The personality is like a propagandist paradigm through which the national identity is defined, cultural norms are established, the influence of the regime is wielded and diplomatic relations between regimes are managed. The shadow is like the criminal underworld and the black market.

Egoless Personality

It is possible to have personality without ego identification. Such a system can adopt any available mode of behaviour without attachment or aversion, thus it can smoothly adapt to the stream of events and respond appropriately in the moment.

A complex system is maximally functional when it has a diverse and integrated personality that is not manipulated by an ego. Likewise a society is maximally functional when it has a diverse and integrated cultural discourse that is not manipulated by a regime.

A point of self-reference and self-control is useful so long as it doesn't identify itself as the whole system. The ego should know that it is the ego and not the being itself, just as a regime should know that it is a regime and not the nation itself.

The system should be free to draw upon its full range of possible behaviours and thereby respond appropriately to the stream of events.