How the Id, Ego, and Superego Are Relevant to Our Lives

I am certain that many people, regardless of whether they indulge themselves in the study of psychology, know of Sigmund Freud. He is the father of psychoanalysis and came up with many theories such as the pleasure principle, hysteria, narcissism, and more. In this article, however, I will focus on Freud's discovery of the three secret agents that govern our lives.

As babies, we lack the ability to control our instinctual desires. Id is the unconscious part of our brain that results in this phenomenon. Because Id cannot distinguish right from wrong, it often pursues instant rather than delayed gratification. However, Id is crucial for the baby's survival because this unconscious component reminds them to cry, eat, and sleep. The baby from yesterday soon grows up to be an adult. At this stage of our lives, it is vital to restrain Id's selfish desires. We cannot let Id take over the Pleasure Center of our brain. Id has the ability to drive our body to autopilot and make us forget about certain social cues. For example, you might be lining up for lunch and realize that today's menu is beef taco. Let's pretend that it is your favorite food. In that instant, you are desperately hungry. If you allow Id to take over, you will immediately cut the line and other people will become upset and develop negative opinions about you. Luckily, the Ego is here to help control Id.

Ego keeps reality in perspective while trying to satisfy the Id's desires as much as possible. As we grow older, the Ego matures and acts as Id's supervisor. Ego believes in thinking carefully over acting impulsively. Sometimes, the Ego presents its "defense mechanism" to combat with the Id's resistance. If the Ego were to lose control of Id, you could become a criminal. Some people possess some deep dark desires, which can potentially harm themselves and other people around them. Fortunately, the SuperEgo acts as another barrier to prevent the Id from fulfilling its occasionally immoral desires.

Superego ensures that both Id and Ego follow the society's moral conducts. In this sense, Superego believes that obeying the rules would lead to pride and a feeling of accomplishment. Its responsibility is to change the Ego's realistic perspective into an idealistic one in order to meet the social standards. Superego is also responsible for helping Ego to repress Id's strong craving. However, possessing too much Superego is not good for you either. You could turn into a judgmental person who does not understand people who have more Id in them. In another case, if you are too obedient to authority figures, you lack the freedom to relax and be yourself. When you strive for perfection, you will encounter disappointments as some of the expectations cannot be met.

In conclusion, I believe that everyone should aim to balance these three forces. Without any one of them, you cannot live a normal life; however, if you lean toward one more than the others, the consequences could be detrimental. Lastly, I would like to credit the sources I use to write this blog post:https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-id-2795275 , https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-ego-2795167, and https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-superego-2795876