Why does the ego exist?

Why does the ego exist in the first place?

It exists because awareness is not aware of itself. When awareness is unconscious it gets appropriated by the mind and body as a sense of identity that forms as the ego. But the mind and body can also be a medium through which awareness realizes itself as awareness. In both cases, the ego is the hinge. When identification prevails, this hinge swings in one direction and you live with the turmoil of identity as a person. When awareness prevails, the hinge swings in another direction and all the space that was filled with identity becomes an arena for pure awareness. The ego itself is an artificial growth in our psyche, but it is not bad. It is simply a matter of whether awareness is identified with it or not. What will it take for awareness to unplug itself from this socket and realize itself? This is our concern.