I get what you're saying, I don't disagree, but I also think there is an alternative motive for that kind of behavior.

In danish there is this thing we say sometimes ''losing your face". We can both lose our own faces, we can also make other people lose their faces. What it refers to is when our vulnerability is exposed, we are embarrassed, and we react in an illogical and even childish way. This happens all the time, for example when someone says something with great confidence, only to have his incorrections exposed.

As part of my degree I took this one course that had to do with cooperation (working together) in interprofessional settings. So for instance a nurse working with a doctor, a teacher working with a psychologist or what have you. In this course we had some reflections of how it isn't always beneficial to expose someones incorrections. It takes a toll on the work-environment, and the trust between colleagues.

So we were taught techniques on how to make someone else realize their own mistakes, because as humans we are simply way more receptible to our self-criticism than criticism from others.

This course also had us reflect on how we could change this about ourselves, so that we don't ''lose our faces'' when someone criticizes our work.

So point is: I don't think it is about ego, I think it is pride, and the fear of exposed vulnerability. We just .. don't like to be embarrassed, it's not a good feeling and it's definitely a feeling that if we do not choose to express it, we certainly use a lot of energy surpressing it.