For me, attempting to lose the ego is for one simple reason:

To see inside myself without "me" getting in the way. Like becoming one with something greater than ourselves or our ego.  When there is no self, there is only consciousness/energy which brings about its own set of emotions completely separate from this waking reality, IME.

I've never really tried to kill my ego on purpose, it just seems to happen on those really powerful journeys. I have found it to be completely terrifying at times while at other times it has been a heavenly experience.  Everyone needs a good dismantling every once in a while!

I feel like it breaks us, as humans, down to our core, allowing for clearer insight on anything and everything.  It also seems to me that ego loss is really only important to those who try and integrate the experience.  I mean, you could lose your ego and bounce back almost instantly and have nothing to show for it. Nothing inherently wrong with that, I suppose, but why subject ourselves to such extreme experiences if we are not going to look for some sort of answer within ourselves afterwards?

I think the question boils down to whatever the answer is to you in the following equation:

Self - Ego = {Insert Desired End Result Here}

:d

I could be far off but nonetheless, that is my 2 cents.