Id, Ego and Superego.

Every Psychology Major is bound to bump into these words more than once. Some even bump into them everyday! But regardless of one's major, everybody bumps into their Id, Ego and Superego all the freakin' time!

Let's start with the Id. The Id deals with pleasure. There is nothing pleasurable to oneself that isn't desired by a person's Id. Freud quoted this term from his researching days and although his theories were never proven, it's actually really convincing. We all have that pleasure principle that gets to us every time we want something. During our infantile years, all we want is pleasure! But as we age, something develops.

This is where the Ego comes in. The Ego is the reality principle. Everything in reality is held between the grasps on the Ego. From the three, the Ego is the only conscious principle. Therefore, the Ego is the decision maker. Through all the faults and bumps of life, the Ego is the one that sorts it out for you. When the Id is desiring for something, the Ego is the one that gives in or restraints you. However, when morality is the issue, Ego has passed that job to its offspring.

And the Superego is born. The Superego is clearly the easiest to understand from the three. It's mainly your morals and virtues. The Superego is the one that stops you from stealing that purse when you really want to. The Superego is the barrier at times when you really want to bang that hot chick. In short, the Superego is your humanity. It speaks of who you are deep inside. It aims for perfection and for what is right.

Now, are you thinking about situational events where in the Id, Ego and Superego dictates your life?

Well, the really hard thing about this is when the Id desires for something that is not socially acceptable. The Superego would intervene and say, "No. You can't do that." But the Id would say, "But it gives me pleasure. I need to do that." Who's the deciding factor then? That would be the Ego. It would say, "Enough! Your Superego says no. Do you want to be perceived as a perverted man for the rest of your life? You want pleasure? Go do it on your own."

That is clearly an easy situation, where in the Ego could still control the two. But in times when criminal activities have already been done, that is clearly the doings of the Id. Those situations are events when the Ego could no longer control and take hold of the Id. That's when the Id crumples your life.

Situationally speaking, the Superego can also crumple your life. As a teenager, you are bound by the rules of your parents. And that being said, you are afraid of breaking the rules. You are scared of speaking out of line. You are scared of cutting classes. You are scared of not finishing your vegetables. You are scared of failing a course. Everything that is immoral or unacceptable is withheld from your life, making you partially perfect. But since nobody's perfect, you are bound to give in to your Id every once in a while.

With all that said, psychologically speaking, a Freudian would incorporate all your actions to the doings of the Id, Ego, and Superego. And you know what? You don't need to be a psychologist or psychology major to have a stand on which one to believe in. You can be Freudian all you want. But remember, you asked for it! Don't even get complacent on being Freudian until you read about the Oedipus Complex!