? So, what is "ego"?
? In the elaboration of the ego, Freud's view is more comprehensive, systematic, and scientific - he was a psychiatrist! It is also because this concept is mostly given by researchers in the field of psychology and psychiatry, so it always seems puzzling.
? Simply put, the ego is the "I" in consciousness. It's funny to say that - who else doesn't know they exist? Don't laugh yet! There are many people whose consciousness of me is vague and fragmented, who live their lives mechanically, without knowing or even ever thinking about "me". This is mostly due to the environment, in addition to developmental cycles or physical illnesses. For example, childhood experiences of overindulgence or violent upbringing, living in a closed, fearful environment for a long time, being subjected to cults, etc., can impair the formation of my consciousness.
? Chinese people usually think that thinking about me must be a sign of selfishness, so I hear people criticizing others, "This person is too self-centered"! It's confusing ego with selfishness. In fact, only when there is a clear I in the consciousness can there be a clear he. The superego of Freud and the egolessness of Buddhism are both the result of the elevation of the ego from the recognition of the self - the ability to give up the I for the sake of the other! For the average person, it can be infinitely close, but ultimately difficult to reach.
? If the conscious I is vague, then no amount of preaching about the superego or no-self will make it possible to understand that He better. Thus, there are places where moral preaching is all over the place, but it is common to see some people carelessly cutting in line, grabbing other people's seats, dancing in the square regardless of the occasion, digging up wild vegetables in the park meadow, and stealing other people's intellectual property rights....... In fact, it is the group ego disorientation caused by the long time pseudo-super ego, but not daring to acknowledge the ego.
? So, how does a person, what is considered to have found the self?
? First of all, the conscious me is free, independent, is the dominant of their own thinking, feelings and behavior. I'm not sure if I'm a good person, but I'm a good person, and I'm not sure if I'm a good person! Some people may argue that you are the master of your own life! The word "master" here does not mean that you can manipulate the entire process of life and achieve all your wishes, but that you have free will - the autonomy to decide your own wishes, direction and guidelines, and to dominate your feelings, thoughts, words and actions! The process of life may not always go smoothly, and the results may not always be as expected; just like extreme sports enthusiasts, there is no guarantee that every challenge will be successful, and the end may be tragic, but "I will"! So, even though self-worth and self-fulfillment are often attached to talk about self, self is not necessarily related to success or failure in the eyes of the public.
? Secondly, the I in consciousness has to embody sociality. The self is originally the result of the interaction and compromise between human biology and sociality. Free will, though influenced by genetic factors, is mainly shaped by the survival environment and is a product of sociality. In addition, free will is not absolute and is based on the harmonization of the individual and society. The above two points determine the social nature of free will, and thus also determine that the self should reflect the social nature. To put it bluntly, sociality means that the individual has to take into account the interests of the group and obey the rules of the group, but not submit to the latter! Group rules done to excess, on the contrary, stimulate the awakening of free will - generating spiritual rebellion! The free will that mankind currently possesses is the result of continuous awakening through millions of years of oppression! Therefore, group rules must be established in accordance with one basic requirement ~ they must be aimed at preserving individual interests! Otherwise, it will result in group self-absorption! For example, in the case of "The Emperor's New Clothes", the individual cannot tell the truth, at least not to the face of the Emperor, if he is to follow the group rule. Yet a child who doesn't know any better insists on telling the truth, and as a result, even if she gets worldwide recognition for her artistic achievements, she has to be banned ...... What should the child do? Continue to tell the truth, or tell lies? Or not speak at all? Choosing the latter two will result in great gain but abandonment of the self - with an even sadder end - either falling to the level of the ego or struggling in the agony of a split personality!
? Once again, the conscious I should be real, that is, it should be able to see itself objectively and rationally. Doing this is actually difficult! For one thing, my expectations generally have to be higher than reality. For example, InuYasha takes it for granted that he can be the son-in-law of various gaolos. Two, I am constantly changing. Today I like meat, tomorrow I may become a vegetarian. Third, the perception of me is a subjective judgment, influenced by the individual's level of self-esteem, cognitive ability, cognitive perspective, inclination and so on.
? From the above three aspects can be concluded that the possession of free will established on the basis of rational cognition and coordinated with benign social rules can be used as a measure of whether a person is looking for an important standard of self. And these are inseparable from the influence or constraints of the living environment. Then, eliminating the pressure and resistance of self-knowledge brought by the living environment, and letting human beings have the free will protected by social rules is the "complete liberation of human beings" that human beings have been searching for in the past few centuries!
? Therefore, freedom and equality are not only political, economic and cultural concepts, but also a concept of health! Self is also not just a psychological proposition, philosophical proposition, but a major political proposition, economic proposition, cultural proposition and scientific and technological proposition.