the id, ego, and superego
When I hear Freud’s name, I am taken back to my high school psychology class.
I have some good and bad memories there, but Freud’s theories of our makeup was something that stuck with me. I chose this slightly terrifying picture in honor of the id.
The id is what Freud believed to be in control of our desires. It’s the part of the brain that houses our most human desires. It controls sexual energy and aggression.
When you see an attractive guy/gal walking down the street and have any thoughts of being intimate with them, that’s id. When someone cuts you off in traffic and you feel that anger rising, that is also your id.
The id is impulsive and makes us desire our most basic needs. It’s like the caveman part of our brain that never developed with the rest of it.
The id will never develop any further than it is right now. It will always house our most earthly desires.
The ego is a little more advanced. Instead of just seeing something and wanting to have it right then and there, the ego tries to figure out ways to make that a reality.
Imagine a child trying to sneak a piece of candy out of the snack drawer without his parents knowing.
The id would want him to simply go over to the drawer, open it, and enjoy. The ego says wait a second, if we do that then there's a chance we will get caught. If that happens then we will not get the candy for a long time.
Then, the ego portion of his brain may come up with ways around getting caught by mom. He may wait until no one is around or he may ask his parents if he may have a piece.
Both of these would allow him to get the candy without him getting into any kind of trouble.
The ego is more under control and works with reason. The id wants it now without any care of repercussions.
That’s where the superego comes in.
The superego moderates the other two. While they may fight and bicker amongst themselves, the superego ultimately has the final say.
It weights the arguments made by the others. It usually develops around the age of five. It combines what society has taught us with our own basic wants.
It figures out first what the mind wants. It then listens to ways and strategies to get it. It weighs the risk against the reward and makes the final decision.
All three parts our crucial to our survival. We need to know the bad things that can happen when we go to do something. We also need to know that we need that thing in the first place.
