person is allocated with set of subjective programs, illusions and the sufferings following from them. Our unconscious speaks to us about orientation to unity, and superficial mental level does not allow us to reach this unity. A huge number false I, living in each person, define the sphere of his perception. I also consist of these an ego. And the more roughly and already consciousness, the binding of the person to these false I is stronger.
Ego and egoism, or That such ego
Part of the identity of the person which is realized as I and stays in contact with the world around by means of perception — so defines an ego the theory of psychoanalysis. Thanks to it the person can plan, estimate or any other way to react to influence of an environment. In other words, this true present I, a conscious part of soul of the person, as he perceives himself that actually represents.
Thanks to it in the person the process of false self-identification within which the importance of external objects significantly increases is started. The more the importance of people gives to certain events, the support of his ego is more significant. Than identification of an individual with it I is stronger, that high probabilities that this person will constantly stay in eternal search, he will aspire to the future and will never feel happy at the moment. Thanks to an ego of people does not know that the satisfaction means.
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In parallel with it I exist also another I the person, the called alter ego (it is literally translated — the second I). It is the real essence of the person which for various reasons cannot be shown in real life. Influence the second I is expressed in the acts, desires and actions absolutely unusual for the specific person. Stressful situations, the turning vital points which are accompanied by strong nervous experiences — time when we learn what is it, our alter ego. Very often in everyday life of people it is crushed by cargo of complexes and moral standards, cannot show the hidden face, the second essence.
The concept ego is inseparably linked with the concept egoism. If the first is concentrated I, then the second is a value orientation of the subject which is characterized by prevalence in its activity of personal interests. That is care of it I comes to the forefront and is considered as the highest benefit, at the same time needs of other people look insignificant and not requiring attention.
It should be noted that the egoism has also positive sides. For example, any egoist perceives the family as continuation own I. And if the head of the family — the egoist, then with high probability this person protects and care for that his family was provided to all necessary. Besides, selfish reasons quite often promote progress. Very often egoists, wishing to glorify itself, find non-standard solutions of production problems, create conditions for innovations.
Main functions
Theories of psychodynamics mark out a large number of functions of an ego. As this concept covers all aspects of life, and its functions are rather extensive. Let's consider the main of them.
Self-determination
This function gives to the person the chance to answer a question: What I am actually? That is to make the complete image consisting not only from determination of appearance, but also a mentality, character, a set of the purposes and habits.
Social
This function gives to the person the chance to answer a question: Where I have to be?. Thanks to it we define the role in society: we place priorities in work and private life, choosing colleagues and partners in life.
Protective
What do I feel now? — this question is answered by protective function. It is capable to create psychological barriers which are capable to save the person from psychological injuries and stresses. It helps not to lose itself or, on the contrary, to break link with reality that the individual could feel in perfect security.
Control
What will be if... — control function allows to answer this question. I control an individual, without allowing it to be beyond legal, the moral and moral bans. Thanks to control function the individual adapts in society in the least painful ways.
Judgment
Here the question can be formulated as follows: What impact on me any given phenomenon has? Based on the standard norms and personal experience, the ego draws a conclusion about events of the outside world. Thanks to this process there is a formation of opinions, beliefs and habits of the person.
Goal-setting
In this case questions are appropriate: For what I need it?, What I have to become? Goal-setting assumes constant search ideal I which is required to be reached, defines the purposes and tasks: new work, creation of family, increase in level of income, etc.
As the ego influences human life
This influence for everyone is individual, but in most cases it comes down to total discontent, doubts in own forces, despondency and crash of belief in justice.
Important! Blind connivance to all desires is not standard of behavior therefore it is very important to learn to control the manifestation I.
It — the center generating all our desires: about wealth, happiness, love, eternal youth, etc. These inquiries do not have a limit. And until the subject identifies himself with the ego, its reality will be obscured, and the world — distorted.
Management of the life
To reach balance in manifestation of influence of an ego in our life, it is necessary to conform to several simple rules:
- to define own criteria of success and to move methodically to it towards;
- not to be a full outsider, trying to go against the stream only to make something in defiance;
- it is necessary to understand that the majority does not exist, there is only a specific person with whom it is necessary to interact;
- the anger and negative have to be transformed to creativity;
- energy has to be spent not for disappointment, and for the creative act.
How to find influence
Selfish people are proud, vain, lust after power and self-interest, aggressive rivalry. Their faithful companions — offenses, jealousy and envy. Passive egoists are coward, lazy, false and hate people around.
Disposal of egoism
He is two types: rational (sensible) egoism and hedonism. The rational egoism does not mean causing damage to other people. To show own identity, here it is not required to restrain in something other people. At the same time the hedonism is the egoism doing harm to people around. It is aimless, deprived of efficiency. The hedonism also demands the elimination or search of balance between it and healthy egoism.
Important! The main council helping to get rid of hedonism: Treat people as you want them to treat you!
Certainly, process of disposal of habits which were developed for years will be long and not easy. For a start it is necessary to accept the fact that to care for others — it is normal that this process can please and bring pleasure.
Learn how to get rid of constant sensation of fear and alarms.
Selfish reasons can gradually disappear if to try to try on on themselves problems of other people, first of all — the family, to understand and help with their decision. To get rid of hedonism, it is worth giving more, than to demand in exchange. This rule concerns both emotions, and the material sphere.
Ego in science and religion
Since Siegmund Freud and Karl Jung's works, also other scientists paid to a problem of studying this question attention. In world science in it saw creative unity (Fichte), or on the contrary — considered it a set of personal forces which are at different times capable to act of the foreground (Nietzsche).
Freud and Karl Jung's psychoanalysis
The ego and psychology are inseparably linked, but this question was studied not only by science. The religion and esoterics also gave it the due place in the exercises. According to Siegmund Freud's theory, dynamics of human mentality consists of three psychological entities: Ego, Ides, Super-Ego. According to Freud, the main function of an ego — executive; it connects outside and inner world, providing continuous, but consecutive behavior of an individual, allows to realize a personal reference point. It provides a ratio of events of the past, present and future. Explaining that such ego of the person, Freud assumed that it does not coincide neither with a body, nor with mentality, and, having reached the development, it can be transformed as a result of changes of living conditions or a disease.
In process of personal development of an ego it is transformed to a super-ego. It occurs thanks to adoption of social standards and the parental bans. The term ego force which was used for the first time by Siegmund Freud, means progress from immediate reaction to rational thinking. Confirming this theory, Freud gave the essential differences in forms and efficiency of activity existing at mature people as an example.
It will be useful for you to learn what happens to a brain during meditation and what advantage from it.
According to its theory the people with a strong ego are objective in the estimates; are inclined to planning and an order; are not subject to influence of accidental impulses; are capable to keep the identity under the influence of a physical and social environment. The behavior of people with a weak ego is a behavior of the child. Here the crucial role is played by impulses. At such people the representation of reality is distorted, they are less productive and often suffer from neurotic symptoms.
Whether you know? Siegmund Freud, wishing to learn influence of cocaine on the person, used this drug for six years. Then the scientist recognized cocaine as dangerous drug.
The analytical psychology of Karl Jung perceives an ego as the complex including all contents of consciousness. Together with unconscious (personal and collective) it is included into structure of mentality. Jung considered that this complex of data created first of all from the awareness concerning own body, existence and data of memory. According to this theory, an ego — the complex of mental factors having huge energy of an attraction. It, like a magnet, attracts contents from unknown area unconscious and impressions from the outside. When between these components there is a communication, they are realized.
Religion and esoterics
Did not ignore the this question and world religions. The Hinduism and Bhakti yoga consider an ego only the distorted perception of the world in the opinion of the person. That is an ego in itself — not angrily, just it can incorrectly be interpreted. I these religions consider true to identify the not with a body, and with soul. It will also allow to reach a true ego. At the person in whose life this type of an ego prevails soul is full of tranquility, he is self-sufficient, kind and unselfish. In a case with prevalence of a false ego everything is perfect on the contrary — the individual suffers, it is evil and constantly is not satisfied.
In Sufism нафс (ego) — the name of driving force and the will of the subject doing by possible opposition of two beginnings (Animal and Divine). When the animal beginning prevails and I is not clean, the person is led nowhere by his animal desires. If I clean, then am opened for an individual the road to God. The doctrine of sufist suggests not to fight against an ego, and to control it.
Among extended the practician of yoga it is necessary to call Ayengar, the Mandala, Anuloma-Viloma, the Mule of a bandh, Jalandhar of a bandh, Uddiyana of a bandh, an akroyoga, kapalabkhat.
In Christianity of an ego answers the main issue: Who do I am actually? Reasonable animal or divine soul? And in the person this two essence adjoins, and the choice always remains for the person. The choice for a reasonable animal generates a false ego — the reason of all human sins, and it is necessary to fight against it surely by means of a prayer and development of love.
Akhamkara — so is called an ego in the Buddhism. This phenomenon is considered the central subject of study. There was it from ignorance that the world around us is a part of infinity. It in every way tries to drive everything into a framework, accepting a role of a source of sufferings and absolute lack of freedom in the Buddhism. The esoterics defines an ego as manifestation of isolation of the personality from the rest of the world.
The yoga helps to get rid of fatigue, it is better to remember information.
Separately about male, female and children's ego
Between the man and the woman there is a fundamental difference: the man seeks for self-realization according to personal requirements to himself, on the contrary, moves women desire to meet public standards.
Male ego is self-sufficient in achievement of the goals, does not need approval. At the same time self-affirmation of the woman happens by means of the man. Family wellbeing, prosperity, education of children and education — all this the woman receives through the man. Therefore it is very important that the man and the woman acted together and had the joint purposes. A difference between men and women not only in a way of self-realization. At men the reasonable approach to the events prevails, they seldom rely on an intuition whereas women, on the contrary, give preference to feelings, than reason. The emotional component of an ego at women is more developed, than at men.
Whether you know? Men are more self-confident as boys since the childhood identified themselves with superheroes. Most of women cannot brag of similar self-confidence as they identify themselves with a Barbie doll.
I the child and the world around will merge together a little later. Since the birth the small helpless child gets used that any his requirements are fulfilled unconditionally. This children's egoism which will develop years up to 10 will not give way to teenage yet, is caused also by the fact that the child cannot understand all experiences of other person. Formation of a teenage ego will provide updating of beliefs and values. It is age at which children compete for leadership, define the place in society. It is very important that the sensible egoism at this stage allowed the child to show leadership skills, but not to be the outsider.
Parents during this period have to help the child and to become it another, but not the controller, trying to impose own behavior model. Start up an ego of the child develops independently, without the foreign pressure and influence of others values.
The concept ego which is deeply studied by science, analyzed by world religions still attracts a keen interest not only of professional psychoanalysts, but also of ordinary people whom the answer to a question interests: What is it, my ego? Though the main problem of an ego is not in its existence at all, and in its main quality — egoism. His person is capable to win, having changed the principles of life, beginning to care for other people, developing compassion and respect for people around.