What keeps Ego from seeing its own illusory nature?

If, by illusory nature, you are refering to the fact that the ego is not your identity then the reason for this is as follows; The ego actively seeks to identify itself with something so as to give oneself an identity which manifests itself in whatever the ego has identified with. For example, the ego may identify itself with the job you are currently in. Hence, your sense of self is now invested in your job. This is of course illusory because your job is not YOU. A vicious circle arises in which the ego jumps from one thing to another searching for something to identify with i.e. your job to your gender or body image etc. The escape hatch (and the real you) is 'presence'. It is simply 'being'. No thought. No ego. Just being. In conclusion the ego cannot step back from itself to see the truth because it will soon identify with something else which is false.

Intelligence,and Reality.FACT....from FICTION.Like cartoons from TRUE stories.ANIMATION is ILLUSIONARY and so is wishful thanking.Too much of anything is not good for you;but so is not enough.If one had absolutely NO EGO at all in this world...they would be a most miserable person.Low self esteem ,.....depressed,very secret,not sociable,hard to get along with....and totally confused.

A little Ego won't hurt.It's how much that puts one in a yoke,and whether or not you live in a world of.... FANTASY,...... or None-FICTION.

The fear of its own demise.

In order for awakening to happen the ego must die. It's important not to confuse ego and character here. After awakening, so I am told, we still have the same character. It's the conditioned ego which has to go - and that it resists with all its power. In extreme cases the ego will kill you rather than face its own demise.

i am in agreement with Phoenix.

Ego has its existence only in separation consciousness, in the polarized world of duality. It has a vested interest in perpetuating itself through maintaining the illusion of separation, division, diversion, judgment, and fear. i wonder whether ego would fight so hard to maintain itself if it had no inkling that it was tenuous and without merit. The ego is tenacious exactly so that it might assure its continued existence. Surely ego senses its insubstantiality, its innately illlusory nature. Why else is its grip so unyielding?

It is we, of course, who are in command, though we seem to have forgotten this and become lost in the labyrinth of ego's twists and turns, leading us deeper into the enchantment of the dream.

i am Sirius

It's own self focus prohibits ego from seeing self from an alternate perspective and so has a blinding effect.

itself

ego is all about itself

ego believes everything is all about you

ego looks through illusory glasses on a constant

Egos are dead things that want us to think they're alive.

Meditation only.

probably part of its own 'isues'

ie, to ignore other possiblites and focus on its own preferences