Ego

Here's one of the ways the ego works to keep us enslaved and spiritually retarded:  The ego will only listen deeply to and receive from someone that is perceived to be equal to or inferior to itself. If the ego suspects that another is more advanced than itself, envy consumes it and it begins to look for fault in that other to assuage its painful sense of inferiority, which it cannot tolerate. This prevents that egoic soul from receiving any liberating Truth. The ego is always comparing itself to others, and only feels comfortable [and receptive] when it thinks it's in the superior position.