Austin Fontaine 
Megan Novelli For this last post I knew I wanted to talk more about the whole “ego vs id” idea. So, of course I decided to be really scientific and youtube it. After searching through some ridiculous results, lucky for you, I found this jewel of a video. This vintage video (it’s the link at the bottom of the post) from who knows how long ago is not only hilarious, but I think actually does a great job in describing Freud’s basic beliefs. According to Freud’s model, the ego is the organized, realistic part of us, the id is more of the primal pleasure part that tells us what we want and when we want it (usually NOW), and the super ego is the reasonable voice in our head telling us what not to do.
I think this model is really interesting, and describes what I have always grown up with calling my “conscience” or Jiminy Cricket. Instead of one voice telling you what is right, there are two battling voices trying and pulling you two different ways. I have really only known this as my conscience and the Devil trying to tempt me. Freud instead calls it the id and superego.
But clearly this is not what Freud believes. You can thank this video for giving such a creepy picture of this model and the two different voices that can be heard from them- one reason driven and one soley pleasure driven.
Click on the link below, leave your favorite quotes in the comment section, and enjoy. For example, get excited to hear this-“David, what are you doing with your sister in the basement?”
Michael Bartholomew
3:47 pm, 11.18.10
“I have really only known this as my conscience and the Devil trying to tempt me. Freud instead calls it the id and superego.”
I like this quote; it really brings up a good point. It brings to question whether or not we as society have overblown our natural “id” as the devil, to discourage the id’s often obscene practices, or whether we have actually taken the devil and given him a lesser, more natural and comfortable name to reconcile with. I suppose that would depend on the individual, the perspective, and how often this symbolic id’s desires coincide with that of the what we believe the devil’s to be. They are certainly not completely independent of each other.
Loved the video, too.
Josh Morrison
5:15 pm, 11.18.10
It is actually really interesting that you compare th id and the devil because the supergo encompasses spiritual goals and desires and is shaped by cultural standards. I’m sure a lot of people at ACU have superegos that look like their conception of God. The ego negotiates the territory between the id and supergo and if we continue the metaphor the ego is us, in a constant struggle between “God” and “the devil.”
Ian Robertson
11:00 pm, 11.18.10
That video was hilarious. I agree with you that the best quote is, “David, what are you doing with your sister in the basement?” I’m glad you found that video, I now have a much better understanding of what me id looks like, a man in red pajamas. Video aside, the topic of religion and the implications of id and superego are very interesting. I think one thing that can be said, Freud believed religion to be the extension of superego, especially Christianity. The whole “Father in the Sky” telling us what to do and correct us when we are wrong does not sound too dissimilar from the superego. I would like to hear what Freud would have to say in comparing the id and the devil. I’m sure he would say something about how the negative portrayal of the devil shows us how we as a society and as persons try to suppress the id.
Jason Herrington
6:23 pm, 11.21.10
I thought that the video was pretty interesting. I am not going to lie, it was a little freaky but it was also very interesting to see the different parts depicted that way. I think that while the video may be limited, I think that it gave me a new idea of how the different parts of Freud’s theory relate to one another.
Michelle Nix
8:06 pm, 11.21.10
The video was very interesting. I was a little creeped out, but I saw it very entertaining. I like the way it illustrates some of the fundamental beliefs Freud had not only about the id, the ego, and the superego, but also the Oedipus Complex. It was a good visual interpretation of how Freud believed on mind worked. His theory, or ideas about a conscience and a individualistic way of thinking, is really applicable to the way function and the way we make decisions. We all have a thought process like the one depicted in the video. We may deeply want something that might not be good for us. Our conscience tries to yell over the shouts of our selfish side which relates to like you said, our conscience (or God’s voice) fighting the temptations of the Devil.
Amy McLean
11:26 pm, 11.21.10
I may not sleep tonight. “Warm, warm, warm..” How creepy. I think the comparison of his father to his boss was interesting. I don’t generally think of applying the oedipus complex to real life situations and it was a good illustration.