The Dialectic of the Mind

   Hegel’s dialectical analysis model is one of the most useful tools when studying humanity. History, economics, and sociology have all had the idea of the dialect applied. The Historical Materialism of Marx, and the Critical Social Theory of the Frankfurt school are houses built upon the solid foundation of the Dialectic. However, one area of the social sciences that seems ripe for dialectical analysis, but hasn’t been explored extensively in such a way is psychoanalysis. The structure of thesis+antithesis=synthesis can guide us to the truths about our own ego.

    Before we begin to look at the contradictions within the psyche, let's begin by defining our terms. Each of us are defined by a superego, ego, and id. The superego is where our societal concepts of morality and righteousness are held. Where we feel guilt, and daydream about what is possible in an ideal world. The id is what expresses our deepest, most hedonistic desires. It is what instinctively causes us to seek out pleasure and rebuke experiences that cause us pain. Both the id and the superego are made up of processes unknown to the conscious mind. A constant battle between the moralism of the superego and the self-indulgence of the id takes place in our mind, completely unbeknownst to us. Finally we have the ego, the only conscious part of our mind, and where we see the contradictions we will discover later resolved. It is where we deal with the constant war between the id and the superego, and where we contain the mental processes we are conscious of. Because of the irrational nature of the id and superego, our ego must reconcile these contradicting identities.

    So let's begin our analysis by looking closely at the thesis of our situation. In the hegelian mode of thought, the thesis is the initial state of being to later be impacted by the antithesis. In this case the thesis is the id. Each of us are driven solely by the id from the moment we are born. This is the desire to survive and seek pleasure. A child crying when they are hungry is the perfect example of the id. No socially acceptable mechanisms have been developed for expressing what you want, those come with the superego, so the child acts out and throws temper tantrums. This is also where we see the child develop complexes in relation to their parents. An orthodox Freudian analysis upholds that young children develop a psychosexual relationship with their mother, because her breast is the source of food for the child. While at its essence I agree with this, the specifics are horribly outdated. There is nothing mystical about being breastfed as opposed to being fed by a bottle, so the typical Freudian role that is given to the mother can be fulfilled by a father as well. The complexes that form as a part of the id associating food and care with one particular parent are not gender specific. The id has no knowledge of any social constructs, and this includes gender. 

Once the superego begins to develop, the child starts to understand that crying and screaming are not socially acceptable as a means to get what you want. The superego produces feelings of shame for acting and thinking in a way that is not permissible. This is the introduction of our antithesis. The chaos and instinctual nature of the id is met with a never ending desire to uphold societal norms and act morally. In this sense, it is not that the superego is good like some who misunderstand Freud articulate, but it is necessary to have. Those with an underdeveloped superego suffer from low emotional intelligence, and traits we would describe as childish. A bad example that some use is the stereotypical angel and devil standing on your shoulder, but an overactive superego can be just as bad as an overactive id. It causes feelings of shame and regret. The normal sexual desires of the id, instead of being delt with in an acceptable outlet, when met with an overactive superego, are met with harsh feelings of guilt and anger towards yourself for having these feelings. 

The last part of our hegelian analysis is the synthesis, or the result of the antithesis affecting the thesis. In this case it is the ego, or the only conscious part of our mind. The result of the conflict between pleasure seeking and a ravenous desire for virtue is outwardly expressed by the ego. When the hypothetical child we have been following begins to be plagued by an understanding of societal norms that inhibit the id, the ego tells the child to politely ask their parents for food. The desires of the id come into contradiction with the superego, and once this conflict is resolved the result is an outward behavior, in this example acting in a way that fulfills the desire for food without coming into conflict with what the superego has deemed appropriate. 

    Now, let's expand our knowledge with another example common in the freudian mode of thought. When met with complicated semisexual feelings towards a parent at the early stages of development resulting from associating that parent with providing and caring for you , the id is in full control. As we established earlier, this is our thesis. This state of semisexual, or in some sense protosexual, desire the child is filled with feelings that are deemed unacceptable by society. As other parts of the id become suppressed the superego begins to develop, we find our antithesis and the resulting contradiction. The superego imparts feelings of shame on the subject for having desires looked down upon by society. As the conscious part of our mind attempts to navigate this contradiction, we have our resolution. In some cases this can be looking for a partner that reminds us of the parent that was the subject of our semisexual desire, or consciously distancing yourself from the parent. Whatever the result is, it is the result of our ego attempting to ease the contradiction. Here we find our synthesis.  

    In this essay, the hegelian model of dialectical analysis was applied to very basic freudian ideas. A psychosexual relationship to a parent is Freud 101, but understanding how a dialectical analysis can be used to understand these simple ideas lays the blueprint for looking at more complex ideas, and answering questions that have not yet even been asked.