The ego is all that we really are not, it is our false essence, which is in a constant search for something, wants something, doubts something, is afraid and constantly complexes. Our second "I" consists of our beliefs, beliefs, doubts, hidden fears and desires. It is our uncontrolled mind that constantly criticizes and condemns. The subconscious that decides whether good or bad, like or dislike. There is also such a concept in psychology as the alter ego. What is this The second hidden essence of man, the second person, the personality within the personality. The alter ego manifests itself in a specific environment or under the influence of any external or internal factors.
Definition of a concept
Alter-ego psychology (Alter ego - “another I” translated from Latin) refers to the real or imagined alternative essence of man. It can be absolutely any person or image: a literary hero, a pseudonym and a related prototype, governor. In addition, in a person there may be not one, but several personalities that appeared as a result of a mental disorder.
What depends on our alter ego
What is this alter ego? What does it give us and what depends on it? It is the ego that determines what we want from life: love, wealth, beauty, health, and so on. All these desires give rise to constant suffering, because there is no limit to our needs. As long as we compare ourselves with our alter ego, we do not see reality as it really is. The present and the real is death for our false hidden being. It is for this reason that our alter ego does everything possible to escape from what is happening here and now. In moments when the mind is silent, when we are in the present tense, our ego dissolves, and at that moment we become who we really are.
The false essence of man - "I"
Depending on the context, the word “I” represents either the deepest truth, or a huge mistake. This word is inherently the most used in conjunction with its derivatives - “me”, “mine”, “me” and so on. Moreover, it is one of those words that are very misleading. The word "I" within the limits of the usual daily use in speech initially indicates a wrong perception of the essence that you are. That is his alter ego. That this word represents an imaginary sense of personality, not everyone understands.
Albert Einstein, possessing the gift to feel the very essence of the reality of space and time, called this false perception of himself and his essence "optical illusion of sight." In the future, this imaginary "I" is taken as the starting point for subsequent incorrect interpretations of reality. Alter ego - what is it? This is the basis on which the relationships and interactions of mental activity are built. And as a result, reality becomes only a reflection of the starting illusion.
Where is the term alter ego used?
Sometimes the term "alter ego" can be found in literature and creative works when describing characters whose images are similar to the author or to each other. For example, one of the heroes of several films by Antoine Duanel is the alter ego of the creator and screenwriter of the film - Francois Truffaut.
The expression "alter ego" (the passage of the game with the same name, as they say, is quite exciting) was first used by the Greek philosopher Zeno of Kitius, who lived in the 4th – 3rd centuries BC. e. It gained its distribution thanks to the tradition adopted in some European countries in past centuries. When the ruler transferred his power to the successor, he gave him the title of the second "I" of the king - "alter-ego-regis". It is believed that such a tradition originated in Sicily.