Today's contra brings us one of the most recurrent themes in psychology: the ego (from Latin: “I”).
There is a lot of literature and art about him, there is a lot of scientific research from disciplines such as psychology and psychiatry, and in "Collapsed Women" we wanted to dedicate a small space to him.
We can say that the ego is the person you think you are, not necessarily who you are or what you can become. The ego is a characterthat you have been building The ego is the result of your system of beliefs, guidelines, habits that you have been weaving based on your learning and experiences since you were born and with which you identify.
If you pay attention to your ego -if you follow him- you feel safe, calm. You are behaving according to the system you have built. The habit, the routine, following the usual guidelines to which you have become accustomed, reassures you, you are on familiar ground. If the outside (people or situations) recognize and reward you, you will feel full and proud. The price: you will hardly risk, you will expose yourself, you will check if your beliefs are true, you will learn.
If you pay attention to your ego -if you follow him- you feel safe, calm. You are behaving according to the system you have built. The habit, the routine, following the usual guidelines to which you have become accustomed, reassures you, you are on familiar ground. If the outside (people or situations) recognize and reward you, you will feel full and proud. The price: you will hardly risk, you will expose yourself, you will check if your beliefs are true, you will learn.
if you contradict him, if you act in a way that he does not expect or if someone calls him out, he gets upset. You will know that he has been upset by the emotions you experience. The variety is immense: it can range from slight anger to intense rage, sadness, fear, panic, shame...
There are those who consider the ego as an enemy. Enemy of oneself? Do you carry the enemy within you?
I don't see much use for it. The ego is for something. Necessary, It is useful. The ego is a system allows you to order your experience. It is like a guide. It saves you time, it allows you to have more or less predictable behaviors, a certain consistency.
The ego is the great defender of your ecosystem as an organism. The ego likes stability, it wants to preserve you, it wants to protect you. It is conservative.