Ego, after all, what is it? Sigmund Freud, one of the leading names in psychoanalysis, used the concepts of id, ego, and superego to explain the personality of individuals.
According to him, the id would be our most instinctive portion, which privileges desires, desires, urges, without knowing moral and ethical restraints.
the superego, on, would be an opposite. Its characteristic is, precisely, to impose limits on rules and behaviors, considered adequate in view of the culture and good coexistence. Did you know what is ego meaning in Hindi? Ya is a ahankar.
the ego, in turn, would appear as a “halfway” between these two faces. A mediator who listens to the id’s almost animalistic nature, weighing them in accordance with the superego’s rebukes.
In other words, the ego would be the “I” that listens to both the imperative voices — hungry for self-satisfaction, give to whoever it hurts — and the advice of a very rigid watchman, seeking a balance, an understanding, between the parts.
Of course, this dispute does not always end in a draw. Depending on the situation, the self can lean towards one impulse or another…
In practical life, how can we notice these inclinations? In what ways do they impact the perception of our personality? What ego, after all, are we showing through our attitudes? Follow and read and find out!
Between pleasure and censorship: how does the ego develop?
Imagine a mundane situation, like a children’s birthday party. Among the guests, a child soon catches his eye, which has already arrived causing an uproar.
Euphoric, she enters the space in front of her parents, not wanting to wait for them. Not wanting to know how to say hello to anyone, he runs towards the candy table. Oblivious to the reproachful looks of adults, she starts to eat what she wants. Get your hands dirty, your clothes, leave garbage on the table…
When their gluttony seems to have subsided, the child leaves to enjoy the toys. He finds the trampoline and jumps the line, pushing the guests in front of him.
When someone tells her that her time at the toy is over and that she must give her time to others, she throws a tantrum, stubbornly, cries… Anyway, a scandal. It is the typical child who, if he decides, will blow out the candle on the cake, despite the privilege of the birthday boy.
Between whispers, adults comment “it’s the parents’ fault”. And, in fact, they are right. Because? In our purposefully caricatured example, we describe a “spoiled” child whose natural propensity to seek personal satisfaction—with which we are all born—did not know a reality that would put him in check.
When imperative wishes are always immediately met, the child does not learn to “negotiate” with the world. Your id does not gain important contours, which would allow the construction of a healthy — and more pleasant — identity.
When does ego development begin?
The ego begins its development precisely when primitive impulses begin to know the simple dynamics of life. It does not initially depend on formal instructions. Learn by experience, so to speak. In this way, it controls the id.
Later, education, offered first by parents — then by the school, social interaction, and other forms of transmission of cultural codes — will give him the mechanisms of the superego.
Unlike the overly spontaneous child we described earlier, the individual who has assimilated guidance on the ideal of behavior is very civilized (the word is accurate as it reflects the process).
He avoids getting dirty, collects his garbage, greets people, respects the order of the queue. Not because you’ve lost your natural urges for pleasure. But because he learned behavior values appreciated in society, which he reproduces to obtain other orders of pleasure — being admired by others and by himself, in terms of his virtues, for example.
None of these three conditions are exhausted in adult life. Our identity is not static. We are, according to Freud , the triad id, ego, and superego that, as “rulers”, debate incessantly among themselves, expressing their positions. According to the inclinations of the ego, which has the final word, we choose this or that attitude.
The set of our behaviors shapes our personality — and, consequently, determines how we are interpreted by the people we live with.
ego in popular expressions
Far from psychoanalytic concepts, in everyday life, the uses of the word “ego” follow less complex meanings.
We know, from what was exposed in this post, that the definition of ego as equivalent to arrogance, vanity, arrogance, pride, and individualism is not correct. However, it is these connotations that we come across most in popular usage.
It makes sense, because the ego is the self, as we’ve seen. Therefore, creating correspondences between ego and personality traits that center the self, expressing a supposed superiority in relation to others, is not incomprehensible.
If we take that perspective, how would we answer questions like, what does it mean:
- Have a high ego?
- Feed the ego?
- Increase the ego?
Possibly, we would argue with pejorative sentences, associating the high ego with unpleasant and reprehensible excesses.
However, could we not opt for a healthier interpretation? A thought concerned with strengthening the ego, in order to bring more emotional, intimate, and interpersonal balance? How about experiencing this perspective for a lighter life?
Strong ego: the key to personal growth
A strong ego, in the Freudian conception, is one that is built in the search for the balance of id and superego. It does not ignore or over-empower any of the impulses.
The task is not an easy one and, without a doubt, represents a purpose to be developed for a lifetime. However, by aiming at this objective, the identity gains an instrument for self-analysis and development.
Start thinking of the ego as what it is: a mediator. The more you invest in his ability to perform this function, with dexterity, the more evolved his personality will be.
We have selected 6 tips to help you in this endeavor. Check out!
Invest in therapy
We put this suggestion first because it is, in fact, transformative. Alone, we cannot always diagnose superego hindrances or id compulsions.
The therapist can offer us a new mirror, bringing to light repressed demands that reverberate in different traits of our identity, such as habits, addictions, and difficulties.
