It is...but it's something he has to master before he can be a man...thus his focus. And you're very right...But even here we're seeing growth - he's pushing Tessaiga to its limits not for self-aggrandizement, but so that he can take out Naraku before Naraku or Kikyou remove the shard from Kohaku, and save the boy's life. He knows there's a serious risk; if he fails, he will lose Tessaiga and it will turn into nothing more than a rusty piece of junk. And at this point, this would be an earthshattering loss, because he already self-identifies with the sword. But he is willing to take that risk because in his mind, he's already moved past the self-absorbed stage.


And thanks for the comments about the analysis! I don't indulge often, but it's kind of fun to put these type of words down into text once in awhile...