Indeed the ego serves a vital function for life in the material realm in a physical form. It allows humans(and indeed all life forms) to differentiate, self from other. This operation being requisite for physical/psychological survival in the, matter/energy, space/time paradigm in which we find ourselves during ordinary states of consciousness.

The true gift of "ego death" that entheogens often deliver to the average body/mind complex(most people alive at any given moment), is the EXPERIENCE of remembering/recollecting/revisiting the UNITIVE state during which one looses the sense of individuation and rejoins the SOURCE.

It should be recognized that experiencing the unitive state is NOT typical for most people during a given lifetime. These are precious and NOT mundane, dare I say, SACRED events. While available to most anyone utilizing the appropriate catalyst, ego death intervals should be respected and not trivialized, less they be stripped of their mystical potential, IMO.