Not so much of the dilemma. If I asked you to describe yourself, "I am" is your ego and everything after that is the 'contents'. Very simply. For an egotistical person it's "I am better than you." However, people can change and improve themselves, they can see the error of their ways and they become "I am a good guy." Your ego can change at a moment's notice - as in what happens when they suddenly decide they are 'Spiritual people'.

The ego is the sum total of what you perceive yourself to be.