We all know someone who is completely self-absorbed. They think of no one but themselves. Their number one interest is self-promotion, or doing things for their gain. It is likely we are also acquainted with people who care a great deal about about other peoples opinions. They feel the need to be perfect and liked by those around them. There are also "normal" people, but i don't believe in normal, who's to say something or someone is normal. So there are those who just have a little bit of both, sometimes think about themselves when making a decision and sometimes think about how they will look like, or come across to others. Now i'll get to the point of this post, Freud. Who has been known as the father of psychology. Freud can explain these attributes manifested in people by his structure of personality theory, the Id, the Ego and the Superego.
The Id:driven by pleasure, as primarily unconscious. The id is the first aspect of personality, we are born with it. Everything in our world is driven by our own pleasure and desire. Think of a baby crying in the middle of the night, this newborn does so only because the child is either hungry, lonely, or uncomfortable and just needs someone to fix it and make it go away. The child is not concerned about their exhausted mother, the child's only concern is that of their own, and for somewhat selfish reasons, but not really selfish at all. A newborns mentality is I want this, I need this, fix this for me. For some people their id will be in control and the way they react to situations throughout their life.
The Superego: embodying social constraints and moral imperatives, as both conscious and unconscious. In simpler terms, the individual cares a lot about what other people think of them. This trait is both conscious and unconscious because they are consciously aware of social rules and moral obligations, so much so that they cannot stray away from them. This is driven by a lot of guilt, shame and anxiety. Someone who suffers from anorexia has a strong superego. They are so worried to be perfect and fit into society that they starve themselves, they give no heed to their id because food is pleasurable and they don't deserve pleasure, pleasure won't make them perfect.
Here's a really cool poem by Mari Ann Roberts about the superego:
i am overwhelmed with inadequacies
and i
fear inadequacy
and i
suffer from the reality of inadequacy
while i
cry inadequacy
Then i
Deny inadequacy
but i
buy inadequacy
as it is pedaled by the mericocracy
who tell me I am inadequate,
and I believe.
Last but certainly not least, actually the most important of the structures is the Ego: the most conscious system, mediates the continuous conflict among the id, superego, and demands of reality. Someone with a strong and healthy ego is what Freud calls a healthy person. The ego deals with the anxiety that the superego feels and controls the id by delayed gratification. The ego is the most conscious of the three and is what keeps us as humans functioning. It is rational and a mediator. The ego understands the outside world and our own needs and takes those both into consideration to make good decisions.
When you're feeling off balanced, or feel yourself making decisions based on your superego or your id, it is important to take a step back, take a day for yourself, and reinvent your intentions.
I'm sure you or someone close to you has done something really out of character. Freud would say that this is because they have worn out their ego and they could use a day to rejuvenate. An exhausted ego can lead to a mental break down. If you don't give yourself a break it may be detrimental to your ego. Freud said that this is where mental disorders come from. The people that might not have mental disorders or breakdowns and lean more towards being selfish, this is due to different experiences in their life that have molded them to react with their id or superego. Therapy can be extremely helpful in building up your ego to have a more peaceful and enriching life.
Id, Ego & Superego
Other informal but beneficial(for the most part) information:
The Id:driven by pleasure, as primarily unconscious. The id is the first aspect of personality, we are born with it. Everything in our world is driven by our own pleasure and desire. Think of a baby crying in the middle of the night, this newborn does so only because the child is either hungry, lonely, or uncomfortable and just needs someone to fix it and make it go away. The child is not concerned about their exhausted mother, the child's only concern is that of their own, and for somewhat selfish reasons, but not really selfish at all. A newborns mentality is I want this, I need this, fix this for me. For some people their id will be in control and the way they react to situations throughout their life.
The Superego: embodying social constraints and moral imperatives, as both conscious and unconscious. In simpler terms, the individual cares a lot about what other people think of them. This trait is both conscious and unconscious because they are consciously aware of social rules and moral obligations, so much so that they cannot stray away from them. This is driven by a lot of guilt, shame and anxiety. Someone who suffers from anorexia has a strong superego. They are so worried to be perfect and fit into society that they starve themselves, they give no heed to their id because food is pleasurable and they don't deserve pleasure, pleasure won't make them perfect.
Here's a really cool poem by Mari Ann Roberts about the superego:
i am overwhelmed with inadequacies
and i
fear inadequacy
and i
suffer from the reality of inadequacy
while i
cry inadequacy
Then i
Deny inadequacy
but i
buy inadequacy
as it is pedaled by the mericocracy
who tell me I am inadequate,
and I believe.
When you're feeling off balanced, or feel yourself making decisions based on your superego or your id, it is important to take a step back, take a day for yourself, and reinvent your intentions.
I'm sure you or someone close to you has done something really out of character. Freud would say that this is because they have worn out their ego and they could use a day to rejuvenate. An exhausted ego can lead to a mental break down. If you don't give yourself a break it may be detrimental to your ego. Freud said that this is where mental disorders come from. The people that might not have mental disorders or breakdowns and lean more towards being selfish, this is due to different experiences in their life that have molded them to react with their id or superego. Therapy can be extremely helpful in building up your ego to have a more peaceful and enriching life.
References:
What’s Going on in Your Professor’s Head?Demonstrating the Id, Ego, and SuperegoId, Ego & Superego
Other informal but beneficial(for the most part) information:
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