EGO - Good or Bad?

Everyone I know, sound this word as if it's got a negative connotation. But, I would argue that EGO is a word everyone should look at positively and if possible, respect the people who have this in abundance ala Noble people. What EGO, to me anyway, a way to let your identity take course of the action and speak it's attitude out to the whole world. EGO is respecting yourself beyond the courtesy and fear of consequences. Lesser people (who have less EGO :)) speak courteously and obey the commands of higher people(who have more Ego) because they fear the consequences and fear that they are inferior. But, really what they are inferior is in their Ego Quotient (EQ). Because, there are more lesser-people in this world than the higher-people, they brandished the word ego to mean a negative implication. But seriously, if you are not self centered and egoistic, you are not really doing anything worth your stay on Earth!