Monday, July 21, 2008

alter ego [awl-ter ee-goh]
Another side of oneself; a second self
Synonyms include: id, shadow

Lately it's been a little hellish in places and moments that seem to get progressively worse each time you open an email, log onto a website, write a check, or answer the phone. We do our best though, don’t we, to stay afloat; keeping ourselves from sinking (or overrun) the best way we know how? What more, really, could we ask for ourselves when we use every bit of strength we have to get it together and then try our darndest to keep it that way? There are times though, when I want to do anything BUT maintain composure. Truth be told, sometimes I’d like to lose it.

I watched The Incredible Hulk about a month ago and couldn’t help but wonder what it’d be like to have an alter ego. Edward Norton was perfectly cast for this part; to have his unassuming and subdued demeanor turn into a beast (though a beast with a conscience when given the chance to recognize it so) was...well...kind of inspiring. What would you do if there was another part of yourself that you couldn't control?
Sigmund Freud had a theory about the three part of the psyche: id, ego and superego.

“[The id] is the dark, inaccessible part of our personality…and most of this is of a negative character and can be described only as a contrast to the ego. We approach the id with analogies: we call it a chaos, a cauldron full of seething excitations ... It is filled with energy reaching it from the instincts, but it has no organization, produces no collective will, but only a striving to bring about the satisfaction of the instinctual needs subject to the observance of the
pleasure principle.” - Freud, New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis (1933)

Screw the ego. I’d like to explore my id. When I am taken advantage of, I want to refuse with a fiery anger and punch someone in the face. When I am deceived, I want to be vengeful. When I am being talked down to, I want to arise in scorn and fury. Sometimes, I don’t want to just walk away, be the better (wo)man and do what Jesus did. Sometimes I want to raise some hell.

Hmmm, wouldn’t that be a sight to see…=)

2 comments:

Anna Mari said...

i think its okay to let the inner beast come out sometimes. haha.

Regilyn said...

Hey Anna! I love this story about Mr. Fisher. Hahahaha. It was so random running into you @ Prive =) Hope u had fun in sin city!