Battle of egos
A battle of egos is a phrase used metaphorically to describe competitions that are based on pride and often entail prodigious and arrogant demonstrations of prowess. A type of dueling similar to a pissing contest, ego battles are often seen as an arrogant way to determine who is the "bigger man" (as far as being superior right in an argument) by a competitive methodology that is not especially productive. The idiom is usually used figuratively and often refer to forms of ego-driven battling in a pejorative manner.
Ego battles
A Tehran newspaper described the dispute between George W. Bush and Saddam Hussein as a battle of egos.[1] The competition between television advertisements during the Super Bowl has been described as a battle of egos nicknamed "The Ego Bowl".[2] A 1998 collective bargaining dispute in the National Basketball Association was also described as a battle of egos.[3]
See also
References
- ^ "In the battle of egos between (George W.) Bush and Saddam (Hussein), it seems that the real losers will be the citizens of Iraq and the United States." Iranian paper says Bush, Saddam in "battle of egos" 9 April 2003 Tehran Times website / Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
- ^ "Call it machismo. Call it grandstanding. Call it egomania. Some 30 advertisers, from Pepsi to the National Pork Producers Council, are going to strut their commercial stuff in hopes of at least getting noticed by most of the 135 million TV viewers Jan. 29. But advertisers who go to the Super Bowl without a real message will quickly discover they're not going to win new customers, warns Charles Brymer, CEO of Interbrand, a corporate image company." Bruce Horovitz Super Bowl ads: Battle of egos; Real goal is prestige [FINAL Edition] USA TODAY Jan 13, 1995 page 2.B
- ^ "Either the parties in the NBA collective bargaining negotiations are auditioning for roles as pro wrestlers, or the season is on the verge of going kaput amid a storm of power, ego, money and stubbornness." Battle of egos expans; season on brink amid bickering] December 29, 1998, Page G1 Sacramento Bee