How to Love the Ego

The term "ego" has had its fair share of misunderstandings. We often associate this term with arrogance or conceitedness. This is mainly due to the term "egotistical," which means thinking too highly of oneself. The meaning of the term "ego" in a psychological sense is quite different. Sigmund Freud used the term "ego" to describe the part of us that mediates between our selfish needs, or id, and our sense of right and wrong, or superego. Without the ego, we wouldn't have a clear understanding of the realities of our needs, whether they be physical or spiritual.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand that the ego dictates reality to us. Without it, we wouldn't know that our selfish, primal desires face obstacles. The ego allows us to see that our primal desires may not be possible. It shakes us up and allows us to think logically about what we want.

• 2

  Know that the ego is not quite the same thing as the superego. The superego is a part of the that dictates what we believe to be right and wrong. While the superego can have its admirable traits, too strong of a superego will cause you to unbending and out of touch with others' realities and practical aspects of life.

• 3

  Find examples in your own life where the ego has served you well. Make a list if it's easier. Start back from very early in your life and move forward.

• 4

  Watch and see how the ego works in other people, preferably people you are close to and love. When you are able to recognize this in others, you will form a better appreciation for the ego.

• 5

  Recognize how the ego works in society. It can be found everywhere, in politics, different cultures and anywhere humans exist in a civil society. Read studies about how the ego works in society. A good book to read is "Civilization, Society and Religions," a collection of three of Sigmund Freud's famous shorter works: "Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego," "Future of an Illusion" and "Civilization and Its Discontents."