Inner Dissociation – Ego – Total Self
Inner dissociation is a wrongly perceived divide between – more or less – conceptual and subconceptual mental processing. Metaphorically, the dissociation lies between the ego and the total self.
Reality is always more complex.
Functionally
In-depth, of course, the ego is part of the total self.
Moreover, any conscious ego-element is engendered in deeper subconceptual layers (of total self) ― whether it starts here or in the outer world or as a mutual reaction of one to the other.
So, any divide between the ego and the total self can only be functional. In other words, the ‘divide’ points to the dynamic interpretation of a happening, not a static entity. The dissociation is not between two separate things ― yet the result is as if this would be the case.
The basic cognitive illusion – not seeing the functional divide – is an illusion nevertheless, in which mere-ego acts as if there is nothing else but mere-ego within a total person.
Bad consequences
Bad consequences from tensions between the – functionally – dissociated entities are so ubiquitous that I dare say inner dissociation is never OK. It leads to much anticipatory anxiety (distress) and ruminating depression (regret), not to mention aggression between individuals and between groups/societies.
Yet potentially, there is also good involved, depending on how people try to cope with their dissociation.
Humanity’s best
Eventually, the most profoundly beautiful aspects of the human being lie in the ways people may try to cope with their inner dissociation ― this is: toward giving the ego a place in total self where it can be a part of the opening up:
- Accepting one’s flaws ― nevertheless, trying to be a good person.
- Not running away from one’s essential loneliness ― nevertheless, searching for a door to someone else’s loneliness, a lifetime.
- Living as a deeply flawed person ― nevertheless, being confident everything will turn out all right.
- The knowing that obstacles are high ― nevertheless, believing in life’s journey and one’s ability to keep going.
This is mental growth. It can take serious effort ― not easy but meaningful and attractive, especially in a complex reality.
Is it worth it? Absolutely!
Related Posts
Human Hubris
This is not a tale of arrogance in passing, but a warning about a deep-rooted pattern that spans individuals, societies, and the very technologies we are now creating. From myth to modernity, human hubris returns — ever more sophisticated, ever more dangerous. What may seem like progress is sometimes only dissociation, amplified. A humble intelligence Read the full article…
Is the Brain a General-Purpose Computer?
The brain computes, although not comparably to a present-day computer. As a computing device, it is general-purpose. Cortical wonders Scientists have found out that the neocortex – part of the brain where much of human intelligence happens – is much the same over its whole surface. Any neocortical patch can develop in a variety of Read the full article…
Whence Rampant Loneliness?
Loneliness is like sitting on an island, surrounded by the vastness of the ocean. It is an experience of being cut off — not just from others but from one’s deeper self and even a greater sense of purpose. “New APA Poll: One in Three Americans Feels Lonely Every Week” [American Psychiatric Association]. This modern Read the full article…