There are wars lasting for decades within us. We do not always detect them. The surrounding world distracts us from the conflict within ourselves. Yet, one battle remains at the forefront of our consciousness. It is the battle for self and expression between the Id, Ego, and Superego. They care not for cooperation. Instead, they seek to control the very mind of the body you inhabit.
Introduction
Greetings everyone. The next installment in our Emotional Intelligence series involves discussing the Id, Ego, and Superego. I thought it would be an excellent topic to discuss because I feel it plays a significant role in our decisions. The conflict between these three psyches could significantly affect us if we are unaware of their impact. I believe that having a high Emotional Intelligence (EQ) would allow us to focus more intently on accomplishing our goals.
The Id
The id represents our needs. According to Sigmund Freud, the id consists of wholely unconscious desires drive us to seek pleasure. We achieve pleasure, in the sense of the psyche, by satiating the needs of the id. If we're thirsty, for instance, we drink water. Resolution of this thirst is a form of pleasure according to Freud. Failing to address the id causes stress and anxiety within the individual experiencing it.
My sons were born within about a year of each other. Each time, as expected, they would cry for all sorts of reasons. In the beginning, they cried every time they were hungry-no matter the time of the day. My children's psyche consisted of the id alone. A need to survive without compromise. A raw need for satiation.
The id never goes away. It addresses the unconscious need for something and alerts us to its presence in many subtle ways. Failing to address or recognize that need may lead to unforeseen problems in our adulthood.
Reading about the id reminds me of stories about the fallen angels. Where they were once heralds of an almighty, keeping a kingdom safe, were now repressed and in chains. We're taught to repress and restrain the id in various social rituals and laws.
The Ego
The Ego drives reality. Our mind builds the ego upon the structure of the id. As my sons grow and learn to interact with the environment, they begin to express some minuscule level of control of the id. Where once they would cry non-stop when hungry, they now understand it would be better to wait 15 minutes before the meal is prepared. Instead of eating, they can focus on their building or puzzles while I set up the table. They're still hungry but now have better control over the need within them.
The ego acts to drive the needs of our unconscious minds in an appropriate manner. On an extreme note, failure of the ego or superego to control the id may lead to heartbreaking situations. One example of this is a grown man killing his 5-year old son when he was caught eating some of his birthday cake.
The ego appears to me to be some form of middle management that can become battered at times. It constantly acts to mediate the needs of the id and the controls of the superego. The result of the mediation is realistic behaviors acceptable to society-at least in most circumstances.
The Super Ego
The Superego represents the laws and morality we've learned. It is our understanding of what society accepts and is our guide to make sure we behave correctly. In the case of the father killing his 5-year old, a functioning superego would restrain the father because punching a child in the head and stomach is wrong.
Where the id causes stress and anxiety should its need be unfulfilled, the superego causes guilt. We may feel bad sometimes, for example, when we don't follow rules of a sort. The guilt we feel would be a result of the superego.
The Triumvirate
The id, ego, and superego are aspects of the psyche that affect each individual throughout their lives. We constantly act in support of one psyche or another pursuing the unconscious and balanced goal of pleasure. The pleasure we get could be a sense of satisfaction that we've completed a task or arrived on time for an appointment. It could also be as simple as eating food when we're hungry. Hopefully, the choices we make do not fall upon an extreme.
The Cosmos
When I write cosmos, I don't just mean the stars. I refer to anything and everything that could have an impact on the decisions made by your psyche.
Have you recently decided against purchasing a product because of cost? Did your reasoning change after seeing a commercial or speaking to someone? You have been affected by the cosmos.
Many of us may forget from time to time that there are forces external to us that drive us towards an engineered goal. As I've written in Emotional Intelligence it's important to be aware of your state of being before making some decisions. Question the emotions you feel and ask yourselves if what you're doing is right for yourself and those you care about.
In Closing
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Thank you for reading and following on throughout my journey. Don't forget to upvote and follow scholaris for future articles!
How do you feel about the concepts of the id, ego, superego? Is there any sense to them or just some psychological nonsense?
How many of you have changed your decision on an item after questioning yourself? Was that a wise decision for you?
Articles Coming Up Next
- EI - Power of the Sheeple
- The Cutting
- Information Wars
The id never goes away. It addresses the unconscious need for something and alerts us to its presence in many subtle ways. Failing to address or recognize that need may lead to unforeseen problems in our adulthood.
So apt....lovely writeup....@scholaris
Thank you for the compliment. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I've reblogged this quality post. Thank you.
Thank you for your report!
Cool👍 I don't think they're psychological nonsense, they're true and realistic. In the beginning, though, you said they do not like cooperation but are always seeking for control, I still don't understand how. Doesn't it seem like they work together?
I feel that the ego is what puts everything together as best as possible. The id and superego, in my opinion, always struggle against the reality of the ego.
If the ego, existing in reality, is strong enough yeah I think they would work extremely well together. Perhaps the id and superego could find balance with the ego. We're more successful when this occurs. We just have to get past all the distractions.
In regards to "always seeking control" I speak of the basic urges we see to address and the morality of addressing it. If you're starving, you want to eat now. The reality may be that the old food across from you is in a vendor's basket or perhaps no one started cooking yet. If you steal or eat before dinner's made, then you could feel guilty (superego) despite feeling no longer hungry.
Apologies for making my response a short story long. Yes, it doesn't seem like they work together, but there's always a struggle within without the presents of balance.
Hahaha, no problem with a long reply, it was necessary.
I think I see your point clearly now and how the struggle occurs 👍. Truly only balance is best.
ID, ego, superego are a bunch of psychological nonsense...but then again, because we are always trying to understand the world about us, including ourselves to the fullest extent possible, we give words to best relate to what we observe.
I recently took a class on emotional intelligence for my master's. It is very interesting to learn the different types of people's personalities and how people deal with life in general. What I really hate are personality tests, but I do appreciate talking about personalities that we have. The difference is a personality test tells you what you already know. It's what you think you do/like/are. It doesn't tell you how others see you, which would likely be more helpful. They're GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out), meaning they'll tell you what you tell it, and because you're the one making the choices it should come as no surprise as to what your personality is when you're finished with your "test." I also enjoy watching my children do things I've seen my parents do, especially because they're rarely around, or in the case of my dad, never around (he died a couple years back...nothing nefarious).
Thanks for the post!
Nonsense? Yeah, I can agree with that viewpoint. The id, ego, and superego are unrevised holdovers from Freud's time. There are convenient explanations for behaviors whose biological or neurological origins we can't precisely pinpoint; otherwise, different names would exist.
For the sake of brevity in the article, I removed a piece that talked about one physical structure in the brain scientists thought was the control switch for consciousness. It was an area of the brain near the claustrum. Doctor's found that area by accident when they were experimenting on a woman experiencing severe episodes of seizures. She had exhausted all other means of treatment. The experiment was the only thing doctors could think of helping her. I'm not sure how she fared afterward.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts again! I appreciate the conversation. No one knows how we tick yet, but eventually, we'll build the tools to see how we biologically and chemically function.
Oh! Personality tests. Yes, GIGO. I am familiar with those. Certain occupations rely on them heavily. One off-question response could keep you from working.
HBO has a video all about discrimination based on personality tests...I had to take one when I got hired, but I passed...I think :) My aunt didn't LOL! Don't know why...but it could be discriminatory depending on the reasons for rejection.
I saw the Documentary you're speaking of and there are a few out but I see both sides as usual because my ego is all wrapped up in being an INTJ and a Mercurial Gemini :P Great Post! I really loved reading this, a gem in the lumps of coal imho
nice to read two Gentlemen have a nice and civil chat, glad to see some evolved so nicely
axey